In Photos: First Russians Evacuated from Gaza Land in Moscow
A plane carrying the first Russian evacuees from the besieged Gaza Strip landed at Moscow's Domodedevo Airport late Monday evening.
The Russian emergencies ministry said on Telegram that over 60 Russian nationals had crossed the Rafah border checkpoint into Egypt on Sunday, where ministry staff met them with food, water and medical and psychological support services.
State media has reported that over 600 Russian citizens were awaiting evacuation, while only around 80 had received Israeli permission to depart.
The evacuees flew from Cairo to Moscow, where they were met by Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Alexei Serko and staff from the ministry and the National Center for Assistance to Missing and Injured Children.
Here are photos from their arrival:
The Russian emergencies ministry said on Telegram that over 60 Russian nationals had crossed the Rafah border checkpoint into Egypt on Sunday, where ministry staff met them with food, water and medical and psychological support services.
State media has reported that over 600 Russian citizens were awaiting evacuation, while only around 80 had received Israeli permission to depart.
The evacuees flew from Cairo to Moscow, where they were met by Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Alexei Serko and staff from the ministry and the National Center for Assistance to Missing and Injured Children.
Here are photos from their arrival:
An emotional hug as the first 70 Russian evacuees from Gaza arrive in Moscow.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
One evacuee at the Rafah border crossing told RIA Novosti, “There’s no water, no light… our homes were all bombed out, I grabbed what remaining clothes were left and ran.”
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
In Moscow, the evacuees were provided with winter clothes and footwear, as well as medical services.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
Russian UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya described the situation in Gaza to the UN Security Council, saying "More than 2 million residents of the strip remain without water, food, medical care, fuel and electricity. The only checkpoint on the border with Egypt, Rafah, has again come under a rocket attack and has never been opened to allow the exit of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian goods. About 1,000 Russian citizens and members of their families have essentially become hostages to the military siege of Gaza."
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
Deputy Minister Serko said 99 more Russians had crossed into Egypt on Tuesday, 43 of them children.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said around 300 of the over 600 Russian nationals in need of evacuation are children.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
An evacuee smiles through the window of an Emergency Situations Ministry bus.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
Evacuees board a bus provided by the Emergency Situations Ministry.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
Israel's envoy to Moscow told Russian state media this week that it could take two weeks to get Russian citizens out of Gaza.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
Deputy Minister Serko said the ministry has two more planes waiting in Cairo and hopes to get all the Russians out of Gaza within a week.
Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency
