The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, announced that Spain has completed its evacuation operation with a successful outcome. He noted the government’s heightened awareness of about 10,000 Spaniards who have remained in Israel for an extended period, a situation comparable to those found in Palestine during earlier crises.
A video released by the Ministry showed Albares at the air base of Torrejón de Ardoz near Madrid on the night this operation concluded. The second military aircraft, with a capacity of 220 passengers and rented by Spain, became the vehicle to bring citizens who were blocked in Israel back to Spanish soil. Albares conveyed that the administration had finished the mission of bringing home Spaniards and other eligible non-citizen residents who were stranded.
He urged the roughly 10,000 Spaniards located between Israel and the Palestinian territories to follow the guidance issued by the Israeli Embassy and the Consulate General in Jerusalem. The message reflected a broader commitment to safety, with Albares emphasizing that the country stands behind those evacuees as they navigate the evolving situation.
During the operation, the government signaled that it would move quickly to support evacuees if conditions demanded rapid action. The second plane on that night carried 220 travelers, including 149 Spaniards, 15 citizens from other European Union countries, 36 Latin American nationals, and 20 individuals from third countries. These third-country nationals were relatives of Spaniards, residents of Spain, or residents of other nations who were traveling at the request of their own governments.
In total, Spain evacuated 429 people from Israel. The breakdown shows 334 Spaniards, 22 Europeans, 41 Latin Americans, and 32 third-country nationals who were able to depart on the organized flights and return home under the coordinated program.