Had Delayed, Four Indonesian Citizens Successfully Evacuated From Gaza To Cairo Through Rafah

Bang Onim and his family are with the staff of the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo. (Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Source)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said four Indonesian citizens (WNI) were successfully evacuated from Gaza, Palestine to Cairo, Egypt via Rafah.

"Alhamdulillah, thank God, on November 2 at around 19:00 Egyptian time or around 00.00 November 3, WIB, four Indonesian citizens and one Indonesian wife have been successfully evacuated from Gaza and have arrived at Rafah," said Foreign Minister Retno in a press statement in Jakarta, Friday, November 3.

"The Indonesian Embassy in Cairo team, as I said on November 1, was already in Rafah to pick up. The Indonesian Embassy team is currently with Indonesian citizens. At 04.00 this morning, I communicated with the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo and obtained information from Indonesian citizens and the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo on their way to Cairo. It is estimated that they arrived in Cairo at 03.00 in the morning, Cairo time," explained Foreign Minister Retno.

"Before this press briefing started, we re-contacted the team and received information thank God that Indonesian citizens and teams from the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo had arrived safely in Cairo," he said.

Foreign Minister Retno further explained that the evacuation trip this time was not an easy thing. He said efforts had been made on November 1 to Rafah, but had to return because the situation was not conducive and there was an attack along the way. Considering the situation, it was agreed that the Indonesian citizens return to their homes in northern Gaza.

"On November 2, from the morning, we tried to evacuate again, but failed again because the situation was not possible. Once again, as I have said before, the safety of Indonesian citizens is a priority," explained Foreign Minister Retno.

"For the third time, on November 2 at noon, the evacuation was re-trialed, and Alhamdulillah it was successful. Four Indonesian citizens and one Indonesian wife have been successfully evacuated," he said.

It is said that the distance between Rafah and Cairo is about 367 kilometers, with a travel time by road for about 7 hours.

Foreign Minister Retno said that various obstacles faced during the evacuation process, including on-off communication and lost connections, were also faced by other countries that also evacuated.

"Thank you, Alhamdulillah Bang Onim and his wife's children have been with friends from the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo. Now on the way to the embassy. Thank you," said Abdillah Onim who was with his family successfully evacuated, in a voice message to Foreign Minister Retno.

Foreign Minister Retno added that there are still three Indonesian citizens consisting of husband and two children, and his wife who are Palestinian citizens in Gaza.

On November 2, they had arrived at Rafah but there were several administrative problems that were being processed and resolved.