Slovenian family evacuated from Gaza
A three-member Slovenian family has been evacuated from Gaza to Egypt. One of them is currently in hospital in Cairo with severe injuries, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon revealed on 21 November.
The evacuation through the Rafa border crossing with Egypt took place "a few days ago", but to protect the privacy of the family it was not made public until now. "This was a very demanding evacuation," Fajon said.
"The family first had to be transported from north to south Gaza. We were in contact with embassies in Tel Aviv and received help from humanitarian organisations and EU member states," she said.
While the ministry did not reveal the details, unofficial sources at the ministry say the severely injured person sustained the injuries during Israel's attack on Gaza.
One member of the family who is not a Slovenian citizen remains in Gaza, according to the same source.
Viktor Mlakar from the ministry's consular department said the transport from north to south Gaza lasted eight hours. Once they entered Egypt, they were transported to Cairo via Sinai with an ambulance.
Since Hamas attacked Israel in early October the Foreign Ministry has helped 49 Slovenian nationals leave Israel, whereas 24 remain there, Fajon said.
More than a dozen returned with commercial flights and 17 boarded a Montenegrin evacuation flight that touched down in Podgorica on 10 October.
Fajon has long argued that a humanitarian ceasefire is needed in Gaza and she reiterated this point again by saying that the people in Gaza were living in "horrendous" conditions.
She plans to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories along with another EU foreign minister shortly to meet representatives of both sides. Meetings with representatives of Egypt and Jordan are also scheduled.