Cyprus Prepares as Evacuation Hub Amid Middle East Tensions
Helicopter assists in the evacuation of foreigners from Lebanon, July 2024. Photo: X/ @jamil_aimen
July 30, 2024 Hour: 8:14 am
France and Belgium are also poised to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon due to the crisis between Israel and Hezbollah.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said that Cyprus is preparing to serve as a critical evacuation hub for foreign nationals amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
RELATED:
International Firefighting Team Dispatched to Assist Cyprus in Wildfire Battle
Kombos addressed the media regarding reports that France and Belgium are poised to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon due to the intensifying crisis between Israel and Hezbollah.
He confirmed that the “Estia” plan, which previously facilitated the evacuation of thousands from conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa, has been reactivated for several weeks.
“We have held inter-departmental meetings of services involved and we have set out how the plan is to be applied in the event it becomes necessary,” Kombos said.
“Cyprus will continue to act as a bridge to safety to facilitate the safe evacuation of citizens from any war zone in our part of the world.”
He also noted that German airline Lufthansa and French Air France, along with its subsidiary Transavia France, have suspended flights to and from Beirut. Additionally, there were delays on Monday in the arrival of Lebanese Middle East Airlines flights to Larnaca.
Kombos mentioned that the regional instability could impact humanitarian aid plans to Gaza. Despite the phasing out of the U.S.-built floating jetty, the “Amalthea” project, which has sent several aid shipments to Gaza, is ongoing. Discussions are underway among partner states to explore alternative methods for delivering aid.
Autor: teleSUR/ JF
Fuente: Xinhua
