Egypt to evacuate first batch of nationals from Lebanon Saturday

CAIRO – 3 October 2024: The Egyptian Embassy in Lebanon announced on Thursday that a number of nationals, who wish to return home, will be returned to Egypt next Saturday, October 5, from the Rafic Hariri Airport, amid the military escalation in the region.

The Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, told Youm7 that the number of the first batch of Egyptians wishing to go back home is 300 Egyptians, and that other flights will be arranged soon.

Since the escalating the military confrontations between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, several governments have started evacuated their nationals from Lebanon.

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Badr Abdelatty made a phone call to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, where the Minister affirmed Egypt's full and continuous support for Lebanon in confronting Israeli attacks on its territory.

Abdelatty also voiced Egypt’s condemnation of the repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty, which resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties.

The Minister stressed that Egypt continues its contacts with various regional and international parties to achieve an immediate ceasefire, reduce escalation, and prevent the region from sliding into a comprehensive war.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also stressed that Egypt supports all Lebanese state institution, most notably the Presidency of the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister, and the Lebanese Army, that assume critical responsibilities under difficult circumstances.

Abdelatty also stressed that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has directed to provide all possible support to relieve the Lebanese people and help the Lebanese state agencies and institutions to carry out their role to the fullest extent.

Over the past year, Israel has persisted in its war in Gaza, killing over 41,600 Palestinians, despite international calls for immediate and lasting ceasefire.

Israeli forces have also killed more than 1,900 individuals and injured over 9,000 others in Lebanon in Israel-Hezbollah cross-border clashes since the beginning of the Gaza war, as per Lebanese government data.

The majority of the casualties took place within the last two weeks, coinciding with Israel's extensive airstrikes throughout Lebanon and the commencement of a ground offensive in the Arab country on Monday.

Israel also launched massive attacks on Houthi-linked targets over the past months and has pledged "painful" response to a recent Iranian missile attack, a step that can trigger a vast regional war.