Plans Underway to Evacuate Kenyans Stuck in Israel, Says Diaspora Affairs PS Njogu

Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu says that no Kenyan has been harmed or killed in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

According to Njogu, Kenya's administration is working to evacuate Kenyan nationals stuck in Israel and Palestine and guarantee their protection amidst current unrest. While about 500 Kenyan citizens are documented to be residing in Israel, more are potentially unregistered. With the embassy in Tel Aviv issuing up-to-date awareness, governmental departments and the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs are determined to ensure the safety of Kenyans in Israel. In the event of an emergency, Njogu suggests reaching the embassy via contact information or email for any Kenyans with Israeli-connected relatives. As per BBC News, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 900 Israelis and 700 Palestinians as of Tuesday.

A multitude of soldiers and civilians, including women and children, have been taken captive. President William Ruto has expressed serious displeasure with the terrorists' insistence on brutalizing citizens. Consequently, Ruto emphasizes the need for all warring parties to acknowledge the sanctity of civilian rights, respect them and accept to abide by longstanding international laws. Along similar lines, MP Babu Owino has called on the Kenyan government to share information about the situation on the whereabouts of their citizens in Palestine and Israel owing to the alarming upheaval in the area presented by both countries.

Owino has candidly assigned blame to the government for its slow response in safeguarding its vulnerable citizens stuck in Israel. Babu emphasises the need for the government to establish prompt evacuation plans to bring Kenyans back home. The lawmaker is also urging the United Nations to help restore peace in the two warring countries. Over the weekend, militants from Palestine launched a significant attack on Israel, which is said to be the largest in years. The militants breached the borders into Israel from Gaza amidst intense rocket fire and managed to take numerous Israelis hostage.

Israel responded by launching a string of aerial attacks on Gaza, leading to hundreds of casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that they were in a state of war and vowed to impose severe repercussions on Hamas, leading the governing militant group in Gaza. This latest escalation approaches a monumental pivot point in the long-standing Israel-Palestinian disagreement. In spite of Israel's airstrikes bringing about the untimely demise of hundreds in Gaza, US President Joe Biden has demonstrated continuous allegiance to Israel.