Romania to evacuate Romanians from Israel amid escalating violence
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday that the government is working to evacuate Romanians from Israel, where an escalation of violence has left at least 100 people dead and hundreds more injured.
Iohannis said that there are an estimated 800-900 Romanians in Israel, many of whom are tourists. He said that the government is working to find flights and other transportation options to bring them home.
"We are working to find solutions to bring back to Romania those who want to return quickly," Iohannis said. "We believe that this will be possible soon. The airport in Tel Aviv is closed, but we are working on it."
Iohannis also condemned the attacks against Israel, which he called "unacceptable." He said that Romania stands in solidarity with Israel and supports its right to self-defence.
The violence began on Saturday when the armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise offensive, firing thousands of rockets at Israel and infiltrating militants into the country. Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza, killing at least 160 people, according to Al Jazeera.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
