Israeli soldiers are patrolling outside a police station in Sderot, southern Israel. This police station was the site of a battle that occurred after a mass infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip on October 8, 2023. As a result, African governments are evacuating their people from both Israel and Palestine.
Since militants from Gaza fired thousands of rockets towards Israeli towns on 7th October, African governments, along with other countries around the world, have taken action to ensure the safety of their citizens in the two nations at war.
Following Israel’s declaration of war in response, more countries on the continent began to prioritise the safety of their citizens.
According to Roseline Njogu, a senior official in charge of diaspora affairs at Kenya’s foreign ministry, Kenya’s first batch of 11 evacuees was expected to arrive later yesterday, as reported by the BBC.
Currently, there are over 500 nationals registered with the Kenyan embassy in Israel, with a significant number of them residing in areas that remain safe and unaffected by the ongoing hostilities.
On 13th October 2023, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation confirmed that 2 South Africans were killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that government agencies are working on the details of evacuating South Africans in both Israel and Palestine.
On Saturday, 14th October, Tanzania announced its plan to start evacuating its citizens in Israel.
This week, Zambia’s government successfully evacuated 77 nationals from Israel.
Africa News reported this week that 300 Nigerians, who had been on a Christian pilgrimage in Israel, were airlifted home after fleeing to Jordan. The Lagos state government was quoted as the source.
More African governments have condemned the war and called for its end.
Several other African countries, including South Africa and Egypt, have offered support to those affected by the recent war through humanitarian aid, mediation efforts, and other means.
