In a remarkable display of international cooperation, five Singaporean nationals and a family member were successfully evacuated from Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The operation, orchestrated by the South Korean government, saw the safe return of 220 individuals, including 163 South Korean citizens and 51 Japanese citizens.
According to the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Singaporean evacuees were among those on a military transport flight that left Tel Aviv on Saturday.
In response to a query by Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the MFA confirmed their citizens’ safe return and expressed their gratitude to the Republic of Korea for facilitating the evacuation.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, the MFA has been diligently providing consular assistance to Singaporeans in both Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
This vital assistance was further enhanced through the close collaboration between the Singaporean embassies in Tel Aviv and Seoul and their host governments, as well as the Republic of Korea embassy counterparts.
South Korea’s Air Force played a pivotal role in the evacuation efforts, deploying a KC-330 multipurpose aircraft for the mission. The aircraft departed from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport and successfully evacuated the 220 individuals on board, ensuring their safe return to their respective home countries.
MFA had earlier issued advisories to Singaporeans living in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, urging them to take advantage of commercial options to leave as soon as possible. Given the escalating situation and the Israel-Hamas conflict, the ministry also cautioned against all non-essential travel to Israel.
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