They denounce the urgency of immediate action in the face of a situation that is deteriorating by the hour. Many people's lives are at stake.
Iranian missiles fall on Israel, and the need for refuge becomes vital for those living there. Amid the growing tension, some countries have already facilitated the evacuation of their nationals, but Spaniards living in Israel are still waiting for the Spanish government to offer them some way to leave.
According to reports to this newspaper, no Spanish authorities have contacted them to inform them of the steps to follow, and they are demanding that the Sánchez government take measures to evacuate residents, as was recently done with tourists.
The situation, Spaniards say, is very worrying and delicate, with no signs of improvement. They criticize the fact that other countries are already evacuating their citizens via special flights, while they have simply been told to wait. The situation is very difficult for many people.
More than 100 Spaniards have signed a statement declaring that they are experiencing a moment of extreme difficulty and a profound sense of helplessness. They denounce the lack of response and concrete measures on the part of the Spanish authorities and point out that despite continuous attempts to contact the Embassy and Consulate—calls, emails, messages—they have not received any clear information nor have they received any evacuation plan or real assistance.
They also emphasize that among these families are small children living in densely populated urban areas, in homes that lack bunkers or designated safe spaces, and that some are forced to move at night to seek shelter, walking long distances with their children in their arms, amidst sirens, explosions, and a climate of growing instability. This situation exponentially aggravates the physical and emotional risk to which they are exposed. Spaniards living in Israel urge that our fears, our legitimate concerns, be heard and that immediate action be taken. We cannot continue to wait while the situation deteriorates by the hour. The lives of many people are at stake.
For its part, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, contacted by ABC, insists that an evacuation plan is in place, but for security reasons cannot provide details until it has been successfully implemented and completed. The evacuations of Spaniards from Israel and Iran are prepared and will proceed according to security conditions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Spanish citizens in both countries stay in contact with and follow the instructions of the embassies at all times. The Government of Spain protects the safety of its citizens in Israel and Iran, they assure.
Safe repatriations
Throughout the week, several countries have activated the necessary measures to repatriate their citizens, and others have announced plans to carry out evacuations with the lowest possible risk.
The Czech Republic and Slovakia announced Tuesday that they had repatriated 181 people on government planes. It was not possible to send the military aircraft directly to Israel, the Czech Ministry of Defense said in a statement, citing the closure of airspace. It added that the evacuees were taken to an airport in a neighboring country by bus. They crossed the border on foot.
Poland has confirmed it has begun repatriations, while Germany has announced flights to Jordan are scheduled for this Wednesday and Thursday. Greece has reported having already evacuated more than 105 people via Egypt. Bulgaria has confirmed it has repatriated nearly 150 citizens.
Beijing has already evacuated more than 1,600 citizens from Iran and hundreds more from Israel, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Thursday. He also noted that border crossings are becoming strained due to congestion.
The U.S. ambassador to Israel announced plans Wednesday to repatriate Americans by air and sea. The embassy is working on evacuation flights and cruise departures for American citizens wishing to leave Israel, Ambassador Mike Huckabee stated on social media.
Australia has begun evacuating around 1,500 citizens from Iran and more than 1,200 from Israel, but there is no capacity for people to enter with civilian aircraft; it is too risky and the airspace is closed, Foreign Minister Penny Wong told national broadcaster ABC, AFP reports.
Similarly, Japan hopes to evacuate approximately 1,000 Japanese citizens living in Israel and nearly 300 in Iran using military aircraft that would land in neighboring countries. The Japanese embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv have confirmed that they will use buses to transport their citizens to neighboring countries.
Pakistan, for its part, has closed its border with Iran, although it has allowed more than 1,000 citizens to return to the country. Other countries have opted to close their embassies.
