Requests for VIP treatment, special arrangements for pets, and an unprecedented logistical effort marked the biggest repatriation operation of Brazilians from war zones in history, known as Operation Returning in Peace. This operation brought the last group from Israel last week.
It directly engaged at least 156 Brazilian Air Force crew members, 50 diplomats, and staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as personnel from the Defense and Justice departments.
A total of 1,413 Brazilians and 53 pets were rescued from the Israel-Hamas conflict in eight flights, and two issues arose immediately.
The first issue was the infamous attempt to use political influence. According to Frederico Meyer, the Brazilian ambassador in Tel Aviv, there were requests from politicians and diplomats, which were denied. He stated that the queue was respected.
The other issue concerned the well-known workaround. It was employed to help Brazilians who wanted to bring their dogs and cats back, bypassing Israel's strict animal boarding laws with the assistance of Israelis who ignored the country's stringent regulations.
Only one Brazilian individual was unable to board: he was prevented due to debts he had in Israel.