Amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, catalyzed by the terrorist attack by the HAMAS group on Israel on October 7th, Russia is attempting to provoke new conflicts and inflict maximum damage on Ukraine. The escalation in the Middle East was perceived by Moscow as an opportunity to weaken Ukraine and its international partners. Consequently, Russian propaganda has actively engaged in creating the necessary informational background. Russian media has capitalized on the situation in Israel to once again discredit Ukrainian state structures.
Thus, the media of the aggressor state began spreading information that Kyiv allegedly refused to evacuate Ukrainian citizens from Israel and Palestine. The aim of this disinformation is to stoke societal discord. All terrorists worldwide employ similar methods. Their goal is to destroy civilian populations and intimidate peaceful citizens.
The war in Israel has been ongoing for over a week. Currently, many states are focused on evacuating their citizens from Israel and the Gaza Strip. Following the HAMAS attack on Israel, the Ukrainian Embassy established an operational headquarters to assist Ukrainians who found themselves in the conflict zone. The situation is sufficiently complex, however, the Ukrainian embassy noted that they are making every effort to provide assistance to Ukrainian citizens and facilitate their swift evacuation. The Ukrainian embassy is actively working and communicating with Ukrainians to provide necessary assistance: assisting Ukrainians with the necessary documents for departure, operating a hotline, receiving citizens, and monitoring the actions of other foreign embassies for possible collaboration. The total number of people who have approached the embassy for help with evacuation is approximately one thousand.
Thanks to the efforts of diplomats, around 450 Ukrainians have been evacuated from the conflict zone in the Middle East as of now.
The evacuation is ongoing. Undoubtedly, the evacuation of Ukrainians from Israel and the Gaza Strip poses a challenging task for diplomats, but they are making every possible effort to create safe conditions that allow Ukrainian citizens to leave these territories. The main difficulty in the evacuation issue is that due to Russian aggression, air communication with Ukraine has been suspended, thus Ukraine can only organize the evacuation of its citizens to a safe third country.
From October 14th to 17th, three evacuation flights of Ukrainian citizens from Israel to Romania were conducted. Upon arrival in Bucharest, Ukrainians receive assistance from the Ukrainian Embassy in Romania and Romanian partners. The Ukrainian Embassy in Israel reported that the first evacuation flight of HiSky airlines to Bucharest prioritized "children, women, the elderly, and those citizens who could not depart due to the mass cancellation of flights by carriers." The problem is that many foreign companies have canceled flights due to insurance companies significantly increasing rates for insuring their flights. Therefore, the cost of tickets has increased significantly, sometimes several times over. The Ukrainian embassy is prioritizing assistance to the most vulnerable segments of the population. Namely: citizens in need of medical treatment, citizens arriving with children, tourists whose flights were canceled, and who are left without the possibility of departure.
In agreement with airlines, tickets for evacuation flights for Ukrainians are sold at minimal prices, and in exceptional situations, the state bears the expenses. This concerns people who found themselves in Israel without means of subsistence. In order for people to be able to purchase tickets for flights from Israel at reduced prices, the Ukrainian embassy is also collaborating with sponsors.
The Ukrainian Embassy in the State of Israel is working around the clock to explore all possible options for the further and safe evacuation of Ukrainians from the territory of this state. Ukraine cares for its citizens, wherever they may be.
Source: 24Brussels.online
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