Costa Rican Consulates in Middle East Ordered to Help Evacuate Costa Ricans in the Conflict Zone; Europeans And Americans Doing Same
The Costa Rican Cancillería (Foreign Ministry) has ordered its consulates in Beirut and Jerusalem to help out Costa Ricans in the conflicted area to get out safely.

The Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores estimates that there are at least 300 Cpsta Ricans living in Lebanon.

The Foreign Ministry said it already received two requests for help to get out. Two women identified by their last names, Campos and Hernández, want to leave Lebanon, that has been under constant pounding by the Israeli army.

The Cancillería recognizes that it doesn't have the financial resources to get the Ticos out of the conflict zone, but it said it will, if necessary, ask for help to countries friends with Costa Rica, like the United States, for example.

Lebanon has been under constant attack by Israel for nine continuous days and no end is in sight. More than a 1.000 have been injured and more than 300 reported deaths during the conflict.

Thousands, mainly Europeans, have been fleeing the area with the assistance of their Embassies and Consulates.

Italy and Spain have already acted to move their citizens to safety, while Britain and France were preparing similar operations.

The Italian embassy in Beirut had helped 420 foreigners, including 300 Italians, to evacuate from Beirut by bus to safer areas in northern Lebanon, Italian state television reported.

Authorities in Spain confirmed they had bused about 120 Spaniards out of Lebanon to Damascus, from where they left for Madrid in a military plane. An additional 650 Spaniards living in Lebanon had chosen to remain there.

Around 20,000 French citizens including tourists and business travellers are estimated to be in Lebanon that was briefly ruled by French mandate in the aftermath of World War 1.

American citizens who want to be evacuated from the war zone lined up near the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and were bused to a cruise ship waiting in the harbor.

Women carrying backpacks and clutching their children, and others pushing strollers walked from buses to The Orient Queen ship where the crew welcomed them.