Palestinian families in Belgium seek Gaza evacuation amid floods

Families demand urgent action

Palestinian families residing in Belgium have requested an urgent meeting with Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot to secure the evacuation of relatives holding Belgian visas who remain stranded in the Gaza Strip, where heavy rains and strong winds have flooded temporary shelters and destroyed belongings. Ismail El Najjar, speaking on behalf of the families, told Belgian news agency Belga that hundreds of visa holders had suffered damage to their shelters and belongings since Friday night.

El Najjar stated that families had received no concrete details from the federal government regarding the logistics of bringing their relatives to Belgium. "The cold is deadly, but fear and uncertainty are as devastating as bullets," he said, adding that between 1,500 and 1,800 Palestinians holding Belgian visas were living in high-risk areas of Gaza.

Evacuation plan stalls

Prevot noted that extreme weather had exacerbated conditions in Gaza and voiced regret over the federal government's failure to finalize an agreement on evacuations. His office indicated that officials were weighing a meeting with a delegation representing the families.

The foreign minister had earlier proposed giving priority to evacuating 320 Palestinians, though the initiative stalled due to coalition discord, including objections to admitting 13 students from Gaza holding Belgian student visas.

Winter compounds misery

Israeli military operations have razed large sections of Gaza's housing and infrastructure, forcing residents into temporary shelters that offer little protection against winter storms. The flooding has compounded an already dire humanitarian situation as families with approved visas await word on their evacuation.