Belarusians seeking help from diaspora amid Israel-Hamas war

October 13, Pozirk. More than 10 families contacted the Belarusian “people’s embassy,” created by the Belarusian diaspora in Israel, as they seek assistance to leave the country, the Narodnyja Ambasady Belarusi Telegram channel reports.

Belarusian diaspora organizations are discussing evacuation options with the foreign ministries of the countries that offer evacuation flights from Israel for their citizens, it noted. 

Earlier, the “people’s embassy” in Israel reported about preparations to evacuate activist Alaksandra Chanievič, 71, who was on holiday in Israel when the war broke out. She has been living in Poland since 2020.

On October 12, the Belarusian embassy in Israel said that Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv was operating almost normally, with regular flights to Moscow, Istanbul and Tbilisi. Belarusian nationals should buy their own tickets or use ground crossings to Jordan and Egypt, it said.

Since the early morning of October 7, Israel has been facing rocket barrages from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Members of the group have also broken into Israeli territory and taken hostages. Israel declared a state of war, for the first time in 50 years, and is carrying out intensive strikes against the Gaza Strip.

The Belarusian foreign ministry issued a statement calling for peace talks and a de-escalation of tensions.

The opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja condemned the aggression and expressed support for the people of Israel in their struggle for their country.