Plane carrying 32 people rescued from the Gaza Strip has landed in Brazil
The group includes 22 Brazilian citizens (born or naturalized) and 10 Palestinians three firstdegree relatives of Brazilians and seven National Migration Register (RNM) holders who must be granted refugee status.
The aircraft, model VC2 (Embraer 190), is the tenth to return to Brazil carrying repatriates since clashes began on October 7. According to the Air Force, it is the largest rescue operation for Brazilians in conflict zones abroad.
1 of 3 FAB plane with 32 people rescued from the Gaza Strip landed at Recife Airport Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo FAB plane with 32 people rescued from the Gaza Strip landed at Recife Airport Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo
According to the FAB, the landing in Recife is only a technical stopover for fuel and no passengers will disembark in the capital Pernambuco. The plane remained in Recife until 9:07 p.m., then the plane continued its journey.
After a stopover in Recife, the flight with the group of rescued people continued to Brasília, where they were received by President Lula (PT). The plane is scheduled to land in the federal capital this Monday at 11:30 p.m. According to g1, the returnees will be divided between the Federal District and the states of São Paulo, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.
In Recife, the returnees were received by the executive secretary of the Special Adviser to Governor Raquel Lyra (PSDB), Fernando Holanda. While the plane was refueling, there was a snack of fruit, cake and sandwiches.
This Monday’s flight has so far rescued 1,477 people and 53 pets from the Middle East.
2 of 3 Hasan Rabee, one of the Brazilians repatriated to the Gaza Strip, shows the rest of the group on the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) plane used by the government for repatriation to Brazil on November 13, 2023. — Photo : Hasan Rabee/ Personal Archive Hasan Rabee, one of the Brazilians repatriated to the Gaza Strip, shows the rest of the group on November 13, 2023 in the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) plane used by the government for repatriation to Brazil. — Photo: Hasan Rabee/ Personal Archive
Fourth plane lands in Recife
This was the fourth FAB aircraft to land in Recife, bringing Brazilians and relatives from the region where the war between Israel and Hamas has been ongoing since October.
On the 21st of last month, another KC390 Millennium aircraft, a cargo transport vehicle of the same model as the previous one, landed in Recife. Of the 69 passengers, two women stayed in Pernambuco
Among the passengers disembarked this Thursday (2) in the capital Pernambuco was Israela Vasconcelos Amaral, who lived in the West Bank city of Ramala and was returning to Brazil with her two children. In an interview with TV Globo, she said she was relieved to be able to leave the conflict zone.
“We are all living in a time of uncertainty. We didn’t know what would happen, what options we had here and whether we could be evacuated because we were in the West Bank. In order to implement this.” “After the evacuation, a very large team was needed today. People were here. We were hopeful that Brazil wouldn’t really let go of us,” Israela said.
3 of 3 Israela Vasconcelos Amaral and her son disembarked in Recife after being taken from the West Bank on a FAB aircraft Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo Israela Vasconcelos Amaral and her son disembarked in Recife after being taken with were brought from the West Bank on a FAB aircraft — Photo: Reproduction/TV Globe
According to Israela, her husband and mother remain in the West Bank waiting for new rescue flights to Brazil. From now on, the family will live in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, in the greater Recife area.
“My husband comes from there [Cisjordânia], has never been to Brazil. And I left behind my fatherinlaw, my motherinlaw, my uncles and my cousins. […] “I can’t talk, no guys, I’m starting to cry,” he said.
In addition to Israela, a couple from Fortaleza who had a young daughter landed in the capital Pernambuco. They didn’t want to give an interview.
Plane with rescued people from the Gaza Strip lands in Recife