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Indonesia rushes to evacuate citizens from Gaza Strip
Any incoming assistance or evacuation effort will only be possible through a humanitarian corridor because of Gaza's ever-volatile conditions, according to the Foreign Ministry.
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Palestinians carrying their belongings flee to safer areas in Gaza City on Oct. 13, 2023, after Israeli air strikes. Israel has called for the immediate relocation of 1.1 million people in Gaza amid its massive bombardment in retaliation for Hamas's attacks, with the United Nations warning of “devastating“ consequences. (AFP/Mahmud Hams)
T
he government is intensifying its push for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in the Gaza Strip to evacuate 10 Indonesian nationals still trapped in the conflict-stricken zone, amid a swift evacuation order from the Israeli military ahead of a potential ground offensive.
Food, water and medical supplies are running thin in Gaza, and the evacuation of the 10 Indonesian citizens is the top priority of the Foreign Ministry.
The ministry has established a contingency plan for evacuation and maintained close communications with the Indonesian nationals as they stand by for any information regarding a possible escape route, Foreign Ministry’s citizen protection director Judha Nugraha said.
But their repatriation is nearly impossible without a temporary demilitarized zone, as Israeli air strikes on Gaza have not let up.
“Our plan doesn’t only assume one scenario,” Judha told reporters. “The reality on the ground is incredibly difficult and, learning from past experiences, we’ve established multiple options for different situations.”
Read also: RI prepares evacuation plan for Indonesians in Gaza
Outside of Gaza, 133 Indonesian nationals are spread mostly throughout the West Bank and Israel’s Sapir area, according to the ministry. Out of them, only four people have agreed to be repatriated, while the rest have chosen to remain where they are under the belief that the conditions were “still safe for remaining in place”, Judha said.
