ASTANA – Kazakhstan established an emergency headquarters and set up a hotline amid the aggravation of situation in Israel, said Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov at an Oct. 9 briefing.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa.
“In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Tel Aviv, an emergency hotline was opened for citizens of Kazakhstan who are in Israel and their relatives at home. Over these two days, we have processed more than 500 calls and appeals from our fellow citizens,” said Smadiyarov.
Smadiyarov said at least 118 Kazakh citizens have conveyed their intent to return to Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan’s Air Astana is now coordinating permissions with Tel Aviv airport to operate a flight from Tel Aviv to bring Kazakh nationals back home safely. The flight from Tel Aviv to Almaty is scheduled for Oct. 10 at 12:50 local time with a technical landing in Aktau.
The airline’s press service said passengers with air tickets for any date are allowed for transportation. Those who do not have air tickets can purchase them at a special rate through the Embassy of Kazakhstan. Passenger lists are also compiled by the embassy by phone: +972 (3) 741 78 05, +972 55 273 3813, +7 700 111 31 96.
The embassy currently has 77 people on its consular register, including employees of the embassy, with over 400 Kazakh citizens known to be unregistered.
“Our diplomats in Tel Aviv are in constant contact with Kazakhstan’s citizens in Israel, and to ensure fast communication, a special chat in messenger was created, which currently includes around 200 citizens of Kazakhstan, temporarily and permanently residing in Israel,” said Smadiyarov.
Smadiyarov confirmed as of now, there have been no reports of Kazakh citizens in Israel being killed, injured, or taken hostage.
Kazakh citizens can reach the ministry at +7 (7172) 72-05-00 and the embassy at +972 55 273 38 13, +972 (3) 741-78-05, and +7 (700) 111-31-96 on WhatsApp.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country was “at war” on Oct. 7, after Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip fired rockets and sent gunmen into Israeli territory, murdering “innocent citizens including children and the elderly” on the last day of the Jewish high holidays.
According to Al Jazeera, in response to the attack, Israeli air strikes targeted housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque and homes of Hamas officials in Gaza on the next day, killing more than 400 people, including 20 children.
As of today, the death toll from the fierce battles stands at 1,100, reported Reuters.
