Jakarta, IO – The government is preparing a number of steps to evacuate Indonesian citizens from Palestine and Israel, following the escalation of the armed conflict between Israel and Palestine.
There are at least three plans currently being mulled by the Foreign Ministry (Kemlu). The ministry’s spokesperson Lalu Muhammad Iqbal explained that the government has tasked three Indonesian embassies near Palestine to coordinate the rescue efforts, per Detikcom, Wednesday (11/10).
“The Indonesian government has prepared a contingency plan for the evacuation of Indonesian citizens under several scenarios,” said Iqbal.
“Currently, the government through the Indonesian Embassy in Amman, Beirut and Cairo are coordinating with various parties to evacuate Indonesian citizens who are in the Palestinian territory, especially 10 Indonesian citizens who are in the Gaza Strip.”
Iqbal further explained that the the embassies were also on standby to monitor developments in the war to ensure the safety of Indonesian citizens.
In the second scenario, Kemlu is also communicating with the International Red Cross (ICRC) to evacuate Indonesian citizens in the Gaza Strip.
“Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has enlisted the help of ICRC to participate in efforts to stop violence followed by implementing humanitarian corridors,” he said.
Retno has also coordinated with the Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo. If necessary and urgent, she has asked for the Philippines’ assistance in evacuating Indonesian citizens in the two countries.
The Philippines is known to have an embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. Iqbal said that efforts to help each other evacuate residents are often carried out by Indonesia and the Philippines.
“The Indonesian government is making all possible efforts and through various channels to provide protection to Indonesian citizens and to stop violence as soon as possible,” he stated.
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Earlier, President Joko Widodo has firmly urged that wars and acts of violence that occur in conflict areas be stopped immediately to avoid further casualties.
Since Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, launched massive coordinated attacks on Israel on Saturday (7/10), the conflict has killed hundreds of victims and left thousands injured. In anticipation of worsening security situations, Indonesian citizens are urged to leave Palestine and Israel as soon as possible. (un)