The Foreign Affairs Ministry says a Portuguese Air Force C-130 aircraft is on its way to Tel Aviv to pick up at least 150 citizens wishing to leave Israel because of the military conflict with Hamas, Euractiv reported.
The statement adds that the deployment of the C-130 “is the result of ongoing coordination with local authorities and is carried out by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of National Defence.” The statement said:
The Portuguese Air Force’s C-130 aircraft has already left Figo Maduro Transit Aerodrome No. 1, heading for Tel Aviv. The flight will stop in Cyprus, and it is expected to be in the Israeli capital by the end of today. The mission is subject to conditions on the ground. Nationals who have requested support in leaving the country are already being contacted by the consular services. The operation conditions are dynamic and constantly evaluated, with the ultimate goal being the withdrawal of nationals who have expressed an interest in leaving the country.
On Saturday, the Islamist movement Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli territory called Operation “al-Aqsa Flood”. The fighting resulted in the firing of thousands of rockets into Israeli territory and the invasion of armed militants by land, sea and air.
In response to the surprise attack, Israel bombed several Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip from the air during operation “Iron Swords”.
