Austria says it plans an evacuation flight from Israel on Wednesday

[October 10, 2023]  VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria is arranging an evacuation of its citizens from Israel by military transport aircraft on Wednesday, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Tuesday.  

Roughly 200 Austrians have so far informed the Austrian authorities that they wish to leave Israel, Nehammer told Puls 24 television on a trip to Turkey. The Foreign Ministry later asked Austrians in Israel who want to take up the offer of the evacuation flight to contact the Austrian embassy in Tel Aviv.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer attends a press conference after the working lunch with the Norwegian prime minister at the Norwegian government's representation facility in Parkveien in Oslo, Norway September 27, 2023. NTB/Javad Parsa via REUTERS/File Photo

"It is happening in cooperation with the Austrian armed forces. A transport aircraft is available and the mission will begin tomorrow," Nehammer said, adding that the flight would be to Cyprus.

A spokeswoman for Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg confirmed media reports that the military transport aircraft was a C-130 Hercules and that the flight's destination would be Cyprus.

Austria said earlier on Tuesday that three of its dual citizens are missing and suspected to be among the prisoners taken into Gaza by Hamas.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Christina Fincher)

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