Hundreds of Europeans repatriated from Israel
AFP |
European countries on Wednesday repatriated hundreds of their citizens from Israel as its conflict with Iran raged, their respective foreign ministries said.
Germany was expected to transport some 200 people via a commercial flight chartered in Jordan, its foreign ministry spokesman Christian Wagner said.
A second flight out of Amman was scheduled for Thursday, he added.
In Rome, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said flights had been made available to Italian nationals wishing to leave Israel.
Greece said it had repatriated 105 of its citizens plus a number of foreign nationals.
"The people repatriated were transported to Athens from Sharm El-Sheikh, in Egypt, onboard C-130 and C-27 Greek air force planes," it said in a statement.
Along with Greek citizens and their families, other people on the flight included citizens of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States, it said.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on X that a first group of Poles was able to return to their home country, with another flight scheduled for Thursday.
In Sofia, a private plane with 148 evacuated people, including 89 Bulgarians, landed on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Foreigners have rushed to leave Israel after it launched an unprecedented bombing campaign last Friday targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities, sparking retaliation from Tehran.
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