Dozens of Palestinian Refugees Rescued in Mediterranean Waters

On Saturday, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that at least 26 Palestinian nationals aboard two boats, were rescued off the Libyan coasts.

In a statement, the political advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dr. Ahmed Al-Deek said that the Palestinian Embassy in Libya is following up on the rescue operations of the two boats. The first of which was off the coast of the city of Sabratha, west of Tripoli, with six nationals who are now in the illegal immigration center in western Libya.

He added that the second boat was rescued off the coast of Misrata, with 16 Palestinians, including four women. All of whom were sent to an immigration center near Misrata.

He stressed that the Palestinian Embassy in Greece is also following up on the reports over the rescue of two other boats carrying migrants off the coast of the island of Kos. He added that four Palestinians were also rescued, and are currently in detention centers.

Many migrants choose to cross the Mediterranean sea to European shores from Libya, despite the state of chaos and insecurity plaguing the country. These migrants are often sent to overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close such facilities.