72 Individuals On Their Way To Iceland From Gaza

Following an Icelandic delegation‘s efforts in Egypt, 72 individuals from Gaza were granted residence permits in Iceland on the basis of family reunification. They are currently in Cairo, awaiting their onward journey to Iceland.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a press release that the evacuation of the individuals from Gaza was made possible following Israel‘s finalisation of a name roster sent by Iceland. Last week, foreign minister Bjarni Benediktsson met with Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz.

The Ministry of Social Affairs announced that preparations have been made to welcome the group. The Directorate of Labour is currently making preparations in collaboration with municipalities where the travellers‘ relatives live.

The Icelandic government‘s rescue attempts have been criticised of late. Icelandic volunteers have managed to save at least twenty Palestinians through independent endeavour, underlining the government‘s slacking actions.