Cyprus says ready to assist Israel evacuations, if needed

Cyprus is ready to help with the evacuation of nationals from third countries who might want to leave Israel, its foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after an unexpected assault by Hamas militants on Israel over the weekend. A Cypriot ministerial committee on Tuesday activated the repatriation scheme known as Estia, which offers temporary accommodation and assistance to European Union and third-country nationals fleeing areas of crisis. "In this context, the Republic of Cyprus intends to offer facilities for the repatriation of foreign nationals from Israel through Cyprus," the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.