By Natalia Rueda 
In the midst of a devastating conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, a humanitarian flight will bring 117 Colombian citizens back to their country of origin. The flight, organized by the Colombian government in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, arrived Saturday in Lebanon to evacuate its citizens who had decided to leave the war-torn region.
The decision to evacuate was not an easy one for the 70 adults and 47 minors who were forced to leave their lives and homes behind. The conflict between Israel and Lebanon, which has since been joined by Iran, has escalated in recent days, making the situation increasingly dangerous for civilians.
However, the danger did not deter the Colombian government from taking action to rescue its citizens. Despite the delays caused by the ongoing attacks, the humanitarian flight successfully departed on Wednesday, bringing the evacuees back to their country.
Fue difícil entrar al Líbano, hubo que esperar en Chipre, pero ya se logró el rescate de más de cien colombianos en el país bombardeado.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 2, 2024
Dejamos ayuda humanitaria en el Líbano y se entregará más ayuda humanitaria a Gaza. pic.twitter.com/vO9MexRXU9
“We left humanitarian aid in Lebanon and more will be delivered to Gaza,” announced President Petro on his Twitter account, highlighting Colombia’s commitment to providing aid to those affected by the conflict. The evacuated citizens will now be received and assisted in Bogotá, the capital city. There are still 527 Colombians who have chosen to stay in Lebanon, despite the risks involved.