16-10-2023 (JAKARTA) Four Indonesian citizens, who were recently evacuated from the occupied West Bank and its surrounding areas, have arrived safely in Jakarta on Sunday. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the evacuation process had commenced on October 13, with the individuals being safely transported from a secure location in Jerusalem to Amman via the Jordan River Border.
Despite the successful evacuation, a total of 136 Indonesian citizens still remain in the West Bank and its surroundings. The ministry clarified that these individuals have chosen to remain in their respective locations, despite the ongoing conflict.
The Indonesian government is exerting utmost efforts to evacuate an additional 10 citizens from the Gaza Strip in Palestine, which has been subjected to intense bombardment by Israeli occupation forces since October 7. The precarious security situation in the densely populated enclave has prompted the government to take cautious measures and maintain intensive coordination with various parties to facilitate the safe departure of its citizens from the war-torn region.
Amid the escalating Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which has tragically claimed the lives of over two thousand people in Gaza, the Indonesian government has reported no casualties among its citizens. The Israeli occupation forces continue to launch military assaults on the Gaza Strip in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7.
Hamas, the governing authority in the besieged Gaza Strip, initiated Operation Al Aqsa Storm, launching a series of rockets at Israel while carrying out incursions by land, sea, and air. The operation was declared as a retaliatory measure for the storming and desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, an occupied territory, as well as the escalating violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
In response, the Israeli forces initiated Operation Iron Swords, with Hamas in the Gaza Strip as their primary target. The Israeli government has also implemented severe measures, including cutting off water, fuel, and electricity supplies to Gaza, exacerbating the already challenging living conditions for Palestinians in this small and densely populated enclave. Prior to the current conflict, they had been enduring the adverse effects of strict blockades imposed by Israel since 2007.
Since the onset of the conflict, at least 2,215 Palestinian civilians, including 724 children, have tragically lost their lives, while Israel has reported the loss of 1,300 citizens.
