Spain Successfully Evacuates 199 Citizens from Israel Amid Ongoing Crisis
The Spanish Government has successfully evacuated 199 individuals from Israel, executing a strategic operation involving five buses that traversed the Israeli border into Jordan. According to reports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as outlined in El HuffPost, this transfer was efficiently conducted through the established border crossing.
In a move to facilitate the return of its citizens, the government deployed an A330 aircraft from the Air Force to Jordan, aimed at repatriating approximately 176 Spaniards along with nationals from various other countries. Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, shared details on social media regarding the evacuation plans, confirming that a total of 200 people—including Spaniards, Europeans, and citizens from other nations—were successfully moved from Israel into Jordan. He highlighted that from there, arrangements have been made for their transportation back to Spain.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' sources clarified that among the evacuees, there are 176 Spaniards and 23 individuals from other nationalities, including Canada, Chile, Croatia, the USA, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Nicaragua, and Portugal. All evacuated persons are reported to be in good health. Upon their arrival in Jordan, they await the chartered plane by the Ministry of Defense to take them to the Torrejón de Ardoz base in Madrid.
As per the data released by the Foreign Ministry, the consular district of the Embassy in Tel Aviv has recorded 7,766 residents and 17 non-residents, while the Spanish Consulate General in Jerusalem lists 2,904 residents and 33 non-residents. However, these figures might fluctuate as some individuals may have already departed the country without notifying the consulate.
In light of the persistent conflict, the Embassy in Tel Aviv has been providing information regarding the operational hours of various border crossings with Jordan and Egypt for those intending to leave the country by land, especially as commercial flights remain suspended due to ongoing missile attacks originating from Iran.
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