Nineteen South African citizens, stranded in Gaza since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on 7 October 2023, safely arrived back home via Cairo, landing at OR Tambo International Airport, on Tuesday.
Emotional scenes at OR Tambo as South Africans trapped in Gaza reunite with family
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The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed the successful evacuation of 19 South Africans, including 13 women, from the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip.
The evacuation process saw significant cooperation from the Egyptian government, which allowed safe passage through the Rafah Crossing.
This gesture of solidarity was instrumental in ensuring the safety of the evacuated South Africans.
Israeli authorities approved the evacuation of these South African nationals on 11 November 2023. The group, comprising six men and 13 women, arrived in Cairo late on Monday night and continued their journey to South Africa, landing at OR Tambo International Airport in the afternoon.
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In light of these events, the South African government has reiterated its call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The government expressed concern over the ongoing violence and casualties, advocating for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a resumption of peace talks for a sustainable and just solution.
“The Israeli government has indicated that it intends to extend its attack on the people of Gaza. The statements from Israeli leaders appear impervious to the global calls for an immediate end to the killing of Palestinian civilians. South Africa calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the resumption of talks that will end the violence arising from the continued belligerent occupation and lays the basis for a just and lasting solution,” DIRCO said.
Since the conflict began on October 7, there have been significant casualties and displacement.
Over 15 000 Palestinians have been killed, and a considerable portion of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced. In contrast, the conflict has also seen over 1 200 Israeli casualties, with more than 100 out of 240 hostages still held by Hamas.