With the situation in Lebanon becoming increasingly volatile, citizen evacuations from the neighbouring country have commenced. So far, seven countries have called on their citizens to leave Lebanon amid fears of a broader conflict.
The countries that have advised their citizens to depart Lebanon are: Germany, Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Sweden, and Belgium.
It is estimated that other countries will follow suit in the coming hours and days, given the evolving situation within Lebanon. As philenews reported yesterday, Assistant US Secretary of State Richard Verma visited Beirut over the past weekend and met with US embassy staff to assess their readiness in case a mass evacuation of American citizens is required. The US official also traveled to Cyprus and Incirlik base in Turkey to examine the capabilities for accommodating individuals evacuated from Lebanon.
Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos emphasised that Cyprus will continue to serve as a safety bridge to facilitate the safe evacuation of citizens from any war zone in the region.
The situation in the region was among the key topics on the agenda during Minister Kombos’s meeting with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan.
In his statements following the meeting, Minister Kombos noted that the ‘Estia’ plan has been activated for weeks and is fully operational and prepared. “We have had all the relevant inter-service meetings, and we have defined the way in which the plan will be implemented if necessary,” he said.
The Foreign Minister stated that as in the case of Sudan in recent months and the events that took place after October 7 in Israel, the relevant preparations are being made. “We all hope it won’t be necessary, but if it does, Cyprus will continue to serve as a safety bridge to facilitate the safe evacuation of citizens from any war zone in our region,” he said.
When asked about updates regarding the aid being sent to Gaza, the situation there, and the next steps, Minister Kombos reminded that the humanitarian corridor predated the floating platform, adding that they are now in the final stages of completing the JLOTS (Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore system) process.
“There was always a plan for the medium-term option, which is ready to be activated. All the material and technical elements have been put in place,” he said.
The Minister also stated that very detailed and comprehensive discussions were held with partner states regarding the next stage, and different methodological approaches are being discussed for direct access once again.
“Of course, all this is subject to developments because, as you understand, the situation in the region has taken a very different turn in the last few hours, and this cannot but affect any planning regarding how humanitarian aid reaches Gaza,” he added. He further noted that all the various methods of sending aid to Gaza face difficulties, but that “this will not prevent us from trying to contribute to something we believe is very necessary.”
Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas, in statements to CyBC, referred to the situation in the region and emphasised that “Cyprus can protect and defend itself.” He confirmed reports that the National Guard is taking preventive measures in the unlikely event that Cyprus is affected by the escalation of the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation.
