NICOSIA – Cyprus’ government said it’s willing to take in Europeans and third-country nationals in transit who have found themselves in the midst of Israel’s invasion of Gaza in a hunt for Hamas terrorists and worries about Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Cyprus is the European Union state closest to the Mideast and has for decades been a sanctuary for thousands escaping wars in the region, noted Reuters, adding anxiety is growing that Israel will retaliate against Hezbollah.

https://www.reuters.com/world/cyprus-again-offers-sanctuary-middle-east-violence-spreads-2024-08-08/

Backed by Iran, the Hezbollah terrorists are in Lebanon, from where they have fired missiles into Israel repeatedly, the last killing a group of teens and young people at a soccer field, with Israel vowing revenge.

That has stewed fears of a conflict spreading in the Mideast and especially after the Hezbollah leader threatened Cyprus if it helps Israel, noting that the island also has United Kingdom military bases.

“We are ready, we have activated a specific plan, ESTIA, which has been tried and tested,” Cyprus’ Deputy Government spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou said about the willingness to take part in evacuations after also being a jumping off point to bring humanitarian aid to Palestinians trapped in the Gaza invasion.

“In the event we are asked to assist other countries who may be moving their nationals from the crisis area home, we are in a position to host them for a few days until they are repatriated,” he said.

Antoniou told Reuters almost 10 countries made inquiries on the scheme, but that there had been no specific formal request. If a mass evacuation plan does transpire it would largely be by air. “We have the capacity, the infrastructure,” he said.

The hub will be the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in the southern port town of Larnaca, near the island’s largest airport whose role would be to coordinate, control and direct search and rescue operations.

Some tents had been erected in the compound, with cots which would be use to process any arrivals, people on the site said, but it wasn’t said how much the capacity is and what other kinds of services would be provided.