The Brazilian says goodbye to her mother and sisters before making her way to the Rafah Gate
The group consists of 34 people which were located in the southern Gaza Strip in the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah. There were originally 33 Brazilian names on the list for crossing the border. According to Frederico Meyer, the Brazilian ambassador to Israel, one person was left out due to a “bureaucratic error” the list is now complete.
Since the group leaves Gaza this Friday (10), the arrival in Brazil is not scheduled until Sunday (12).
According to the Brazilian Embassy in Egypt, the need for medical care will be assessed in Rafah as soon as they cross the border. A team from Itamaraty is ready to receive them. The Egyptian government also set up a field hospital to care for foreigners.
In Egypt, the group will be received by a team of diplomats and Ambassador Paulino Franco de Carvalho Neto.
There are two possible routes from Rafah:
- Take a bus to El Arish Airport, 53 km from Rafah, and board the presidential plane that is already waiting for the group in Egypt. The aircraft will then make stops in Cairo, Rome, Las Palmas and Recife before reaching its final destination in Brasília.
- or take the bus to Cairo city. In this case, the land journey is expected to take between five and six hours.
Depending on the time of arrival, there is the possibility that the group will sleep in El Arish or Cairo and continue to Brazil the next day at the same stops, the ambassador said.
The presidential plane is at Cairo airport waiting for the group to be repatriated and also allowed to depart for El Arish airport. An official Air Force doctor will also accompany the families on the flight to Brazil.
1 of 1 Map shows what the Brazilian route to Egypt will look like Photo: Kayan Silva/g1 Map shows what the Brazilian route to Egypt will look like Photo: Kayan Silva/g1
The federal government will provide the Brazilians from Gaza with shelter, papers and food as they are repatriated.
A task force will be mobilized at the airport, where there will be a reception structure with representatives of the Federal Police and the Federal Tax Office who will assist in releasing the documents if necessary.
Doctors, psychologists and a vaccination station will also be on site to provide immediate help.
As the Andréia Sadi’s blogAccording to National Justice Minister Augusto de Arruda Botelho, families can remain in the state of São Paulo.
Each family will have a separate room. A GloboNews found that one of the shelters is located inland from São Paulo. Anyone who has connections to Brazil and wants to stay in other cities will receive a travel guarantee after completing the documentation regulation.
The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have provided support to ensure the application of all recommended humanitarian protocols for refugees in this situation.
The options for Palestinian citizens are to enter the country with a Brazilian visa, apply for exemption or apply for asylum. According to Ambassador Paulino Franco de Carvalho Neto, families will receive the necessary documents to enter Brazil and it will be the responsibility of the PF to carry out checks upon arrival.
The President of the National Refugee Committee (Conare) Sheila Carvalho explains that the teams are already prepared to receive people without recognized Brazilian nationality and are in dialogue with other reception bodies.
Conare’s president also says that people who meet the requirements can apply for inclusion in income transfer programs such as family allowance and other benefits such as rental assistance.