MOSCOW, November 20. /TASS/. Russian presidential envoy for the Middle East and African countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Rodrigo de Lima Baena Soares discussed the challenges of evacuating Russian and Brazilian citizens from the Gaza Strip.
"During the conversation there was an extensive exchange of views on Middle East issues with a focus on the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation zone and the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the sides touched upon the issues of evacuation of Russian and Brazilian citizens from the Gaza Strip, as well as other aspects of coordination, including within the BRICS framework, on conflict resolution in the Middle East and Africa," the ministry pointed out.
Since November 12, more than 500 people have been delivered to Russia by special flights from the Gaza Strip. According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, more than 1,000 people have signed up for evacuation. The Russian Emergencies Ministry specified that the number of Russians willing to evacuate from the Gaza Strip is constantly increasing. The ministry promised to bring each of them home.
Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking more than 200 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.