Over 200 African migrants who have been detained in various prisons in Israel have now been freed after the middle east nation missed a deadline to deport them.
Israel’s government said many of these migrants from Eritrea and Sudan entered the country illegally, but in the absence of a final deal to deport them they have now been set free.
Israel is still negotiating for a final destination for these migrants it is bent on deporting with countries like Uganda last week offering to take in some 500 of them.
African migrants seeking refuge in Israel for some time now have been facing eviction from the Middle East country after a deal with the United Nations for their resettlement was canceled.
Israel had earlier agreed to a deal to end its plans to deport African migrants, months after making such a threat and progressing with arrangements for their exit.
The earlier deal with the United Nations refugee agency was reached for the resettlement of these migrants seeking asylum.
But Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the deal saying it took the decision after consulting residents of south Tel Aviv, where many of the migrants live.
A court had ruled that once Israel doesnt have a deal to send in the migrants, they have to be released and a spokeswoman for the immigration authority in Israel has told AFP that all detainees had been freed following an operation lasting several hours.
Source: Africafeeds.com
