Cyprus to help people evacuate from the Middle East if Israel-Hamas war expands

Cyprus' foreign minister says authorities are in touch with the diplomatic missions of nations that may opt to evacuate their citizens through the east Mediterranean island nation if the Israeli-Hamas war expands to engulf neighboring countries.

Minister Constantinos Kombos said Friday agencies have been mobilized as part of the country's long-standing evacuation action plan called ESTIA. He said there's a "serious danger" of conflict expanding further, which would affect the entire region.

Kombos said Cyprus' role is to "operate as a bridge of safety" in the region in the event of mass evacuations of third-country citizens from the Middle East.

In 2023, Cyprus acted as a waystation for third-country evacuees from Sudan and Israel after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The island nation also helped in the evacuation of tens of thousands of third-country...