The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft landed at Galeão airport, in Rio de Janeiro, with the returnees plus a dog and three cats.

This was the first time domestic animals were also transported in rescue mode.

With this arrival, 425 Brazilians have returned from Israel.

The first plane arrived in Brazil on Wednesday with 211 Brazilians aboard and three more flights are being scheduled through Sunday as part of the repatriation maneuver.

Over 2,700 people, mostly tourists staying in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, said they wanted to leave Israel in FAB rescues.

Among them, 25 Brazilians are said to be in Gaza, according to Foreign Ministry sources. With closed borders, the Government will have the support of Egypt to remove these people through the country. The repatriation follows priority criteria. Those who live in Brazil and are without a return ticket are the first ones.

All those who have airline tickets or can buy them board commercial flights from Ben Gurion International Airport, in Tel Aviv, Israel’s largest terminal, to free seats on FAB aircraft.

About 14,000 Brazilians live in Israel and 6,000 in Palestine, most of them outside the conflict area.

pll/mem/ocs