The Belgian government has evacuated 24 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip the Belgian foreign ministry has confirmed. Not much is yet known about the identity of the evacuees, but they are said to be relatives of people already living here.
Accompanied by the Red Cross, the group was allowed to cross into Israel via the Kerem Shalom border crossing, in southern Gaza. They then drove on to Jordan, where they stayed overnight last night. Meanwhile, the group is en route to Brussels by plane.
The group is said mainly to consist of women and children, including elderly people, who have relatives living in Belgium.
One of the evacuees told VRT NWS that the journey to Amman, the Jordanian capital, had been difficult. They were subjected to several checks en route, both in Israel and at the border crossing with Jordan. As a result, the car journey took much longer than anticipated.
It is the first time in months that Belgium has carried out an evacuation from Gaza. Israel keeps all Gaza's border crossings closed, making it impossible for civilians to leave the territory. Anyone leaving Gaza must first obtain permission from the Israeli government.
A while ago, Belgium drew up an evacuation list of people, stuck in Gaza, who could potentially be brought to Belgium as soon as an evacuation was possible. Belgian nationals and people with refugee or stateless status, recognised by Belgium, their partners and minors, were all on the list.
Not first evacuation
In total, Belgium has identified 104 Belgians and their relatives, who do not hold Belgian nationality, stuck in the Gaza Strip. 89 of them were able to leave Gaza in November 2023, while 15 others remained in Gaza, mostly for family reasons.
Last year, B-FAST, Belgium’s rapid intervention service, launched 2 operations to bring several young patients from Gaza. Together with their companions, they were transferred to Belgium to receive the necessary care here. The operation took place under the coordination of the EU, which plays a key role in such emergency operations. Belgium's National Crisis Centre, asylum agency Fedasil and the Belgian immigration department were also involved in the operation.