19 South Africans evacuated from Gaza heading home

By Hassan Isilow

Nineteen South African nationals who had been stuck in Gaza since the start of the conflict have crossed into Egypt and are set to return home, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Clayson Monyela, the ministry spokesman, wrote on X that the group safely crossed into Egypt after South African diplomats in Palestine and Egypt worked with authorities there to facilitate the process.

“Our nationals will now be coming home,’’ He wrote.

“South Africa extends its gratitude, to the Government of Egypt for granting the evacuated foreign nationals’ safe passage through the Rafah Crossing into its country,” the Foreign Ministry said in an earlier statement.

South Africa also called for an immediate and permanent cease-fire and the resumption of talks that would end the violence and bring a lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Friday after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

At least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed and more than 42,000 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.