After new and intense negotiations this Saturday, Brazil managed to rescue a new group of people from the Gaza Strip, consisting of 47 Brazilians and their families, but Israel vetoed the departure of another 24 people without any explanation or apparent reason and, as a consequence, 31 of those who were allowed to leave decided to stay so as not to be separated from their families.
In November, Brazil had already managed to repatriate another group of 34 people, mostly women and children, who had already started a new life in various parts of Brazilian territory with the support of government agencies.
This time, Brazil negotiated the departure of a larger group of 102 people, including Brazilians and members of Palestinian families, but not all were successful. Egypt, the only country other than Israel that shares a land border with the Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian Authority agreed to everyone’s departure, but Israel banned the departure of 24 of those nominated by Brazil.
This ban by Israel, which refused to give any explanation to either the vetoers or Brazilian diplomats, divided several families, with some members being able to leave Gaza and others not, adding to the general suffering. As a result, 31 of the 78 people who were allowed to leave the Gaza Strip decided to stay so as not to leave their mother, husband or children.
After several hours of intense tension at the Rafah border, the only crossing point between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, a group of 47 Brazilians and their families, consisting of 24 children and teenagers, 18 women and 5 men, finally managed to leave the enclave in two buses chartered by the government Brazil, accompanied by Brazilian diplomats, are heading to Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Eight hours later, after stopping at 15 Egyptian security checkpoints, the group finally arrived in Cairo, where a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft will take them later this Sunday or this Monday to Brasilia.
On the plane sent by the Brazilian government, in addition to the crew, the repatriates will be fed and cared for by military doctors and psychologists. Brazilian diplomats in Palestine, Egypt, Israel and those still remaining in the Gaza Strip will continue to try to get permission to leave the 55 Brazilians and their families who remain, trying to dissuade Israeli authorities from a veto that appears to have been taken at random way, without clear criteria or any legal motivation, even because in some cases they involve minors or very elderly people not associated with Hamas or any terrorist activities.
Author: Domingos Grilo Serrinha This correspondent in Brazil
Source: CM Jornal
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