The arrival of 32 people marks the end of a long wait for Brazilians to withdraw from the enclave governed by the terrorist group Hamas and under a military operation conducted by Israel after the October 7 attack. The initial forecast is that the group will sleep in Egypt and embark on Brazil only this Monday.
Now they must take a bus for five hours to Cairo, where a VC-2 plane, the version of the Embraer-190 operated by the Air Force for the Presidency, was located, or take a shorter trip to the Al Arish base, where the aircraft is authorized to land. From one of the points, they will go to Rome, Las Palmas, Recife and Brasília. They will be attended to by a team with doctor, nurse and psychologist sent by Brazil.
The group took a bus ride approximately 2 km, where they carried out the mandatory procedures to enter the country. The Brazilians ped through Palestinian migration control in Gaza, completing the necessary procedures to leave the region.
Brazilians were allowed to leave Gaza on Friday, but the border was closed
The page had been closed on Friday and could only be reopened for page of injured. Until the ambulances p with the injured, foreigners are not allowed to cross the border, and there is a time limit for this operation to be carried out.
Brazilian citizen Hasan Rabee, who is in the group of Brazilians, recorded on his Instagram account the moment the Brazilians arrived at the border. “Good morning, everyone: we have arrived at the border. In a little while we will go to the Egyptian side. Pray for us”, said Hasan Rabee.
He was in the Gaza Strip to visit his mother when he and his family were trapped following Israel’s reaction to the terrorist attack in Hamas in Israeli territory.
Brazilians were included in the list of foreigners authorized to leave the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border on Friday (10), but shortly after the release, the border was closed.
Throughout Friday, only five vehicles crossed the border. Attending to the injured first is a precondition for the Egyptians to authorize the opening of the gates in Rafah.
The Rafah border post was the entry point, with the group’s arrival at 8 am local time, equivalent to 3 am Brasília time.
In addition to Brazilians, the exit list has citizens from 14 other countries, with 554 people. That was the seventh wave of foreigners would leave the place.
Return route can be via Al Arish or Cairo airport
According to Paulino Carvalho Neto, Brazilian ambador to Egypt, the initial forecast is that the group will sleep in Egypt this Sunday (12) to rest and eat.
If the route is via Al Arish, they will make a stop in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to refuel and continue their journey. Another possibility is to go by bus directly to Cairo, sleep there and, on Monday, leave by plane. Departing from Cairo airport, the journey should take between 12 and 14 hours.
The presidential plane is in Cairo Airport waiting for the group that will be repatriated and also authorized to take off to El Arish airport. An official Air Force doctor will also accompany the families on the flight to Brazil.
Brazilians and Palestinians will count on support from Itamaraty upon arrival in Brazil
The group is made up of people who were in the south of the Gaza Strip, in the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah. When they arrive in Brazil, they must stay for two nights in Brasília, in a FAB accommodation recovering and resting.
One task force will be mobilized at the airport, where there will be a reception structure with representatives from the Federal Police and Federal Revenue allocated to ist in clearing documentation, if necessary.
There will also be the presence of doctors, psychologists and a immunization to provide immediate istance.
According to Itamaraty, not everyone has a home in Brazil and some are Palestinians, and it will be necessary offer support and documentation to live in Brazil. Some families may be sheltered in the interior of the state of São Paulo.