MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Israel: Pets welcome on Brazilian evacuation flights

Bruna Valeanu was 24 years old

Brazilian authorities will nationals of the South American country to bring along their dogs and cats as they are evacuated from war-torn Israel, Agencia Brasil reported. The pets shall not be required to produce their International Veterinary Certificate (IVC), it was also explained. Such a document is usually needed in cases of pets coming from other countries.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock's measure aims to facilitate the entry of dogs and cats accompanying repatriated Brazilian citizens and foreign refugees. The same change in the rules was introduced for evacuees from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Upon arrival, passengers will be instructed by the International Agricultural Surveillance Agency (Vigiagro) on the internal health procedures to be adopted.

Transit through Brazil will also be allowed without any health documentation requirements for dogs and cats of repatriated citizens and refugees who are heading to other countries.

The change in the rules applies to repatriated Brazilian citizens or foreign refugees on any flights, whether humanitarian aid, military, chartered cargo, or commercial flights, it was also explained.

In all other cases, pets entering Brazil must submit a CVI or Passport recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and issued by the Veterinary Authority of the country of origin, meeting Brazil's health requirements. Official pet passports are only accepted from countries that reciprocally accept the Brazilian Pet Passport.

Meanwhile, relatives of Bruna Valeanu confirmed the 24-year-old Brazilian girl was among those killed in the terrorist group Hamas' attack Saturday on a rave party near the Gaza border which left some 260 victims.

“My baby girl has become a little star in the universe,” wrote one of Bruna's sisters, Florica Valeanu, on Facebook on Tuesday morning. Bruna had been missing since Saturday. Her body was identified by Israeli authorities.

Brazil's Foreign Ministry issued a statement: “The Brazilian government regrets and expresses its deep sorrow at the death of Brazilian citizen Bruna Valeanu, 24, a native of Rio de Janeiro, the second victim of the attacks that took place last October 7 in Israel.

”In expressing its solidarity with Bruna's family and friends, the Brazilian government reiterates its total rejection of all acts of violence against the civilian population.“

Earlier Tuesday, Itamaraty confirmed the death of another Brazilian, Ranani Nidejelski Glazer, also 24 years old and also killed at the same music festival.

In the note confirming Glazer's death, Itamaraty expressed its solidarity with the boy's family and friends and classified the Hamas attack on Israeli territory as an attack, stressing that the Brazilian government repudiates ”all acts of violence, especially against civilians.”

Karla Stelzer, 41, from Rio de Janeiro, who has lived in Israel for over ten years was also taking part in the Universo Paralello rave, a festival created in Brazil in the late 1990s by Ekanta Jake and Juarez Petrillo, the DJ Swarup, parents of Brazilian DJ Alok. Stelzer's whereabouts are still unknown.

Rafael Zimerman, another young Brazilian attending the event, told CNN Brazil that many people sought anti-aircraft shelter when they realized that Israeli territory was being hit by missiles. According to him, between 40 and 50 people, including Glazer, were gathered in the bunker when Hamas militants started firing shots and throwing grenades and gas bombs. In the confusion, the friends split up. Wounded, Zimerman was found hours later, unconscious. He only learned that Glazer was missing after receiving first aid in hospital, Agencia Brasil also noted.

Other sources confirmed a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) Airbus 330-200 (a KC-30 as per its military coding) seating up to 238 passengers had taken off from Tel Aviv Tuesday and was due in Brazil in the early hours of Wednesday with the first batch of evacuees.

According to Itamaraty, around 1,700 Brazilians in Israel have applied for repatriation.