Polish officials are organizing transport for Polish nationals out of Israel after the country formally declared war on Hamas in response to attacks over the weekend, which left hundreds dead and thousands more wounded.
The Israeli army reported on Sunday morning that clashes with Hamas fighters in southern Israel were ongoing in eight places, with the armed wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam Brigade, also reporting “fierce fighting.” Saturday morning’s surprise attack by Hamas is estimated to have killed some 700 Israelis, with dozens more reportedly abducted.
According to Reuters, the Israeli government has promised “mighty vengeance” for the attacks and has been bombarding targets in the Gaza Strip for the past two nights in retaliation. Strikes reportedly hit “housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque and homes of Hamas officials in Gaza,” and have resulted in the deaths of some 400 people.
The death toll on both sides of the conflict is now estimated at over 1,100.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday, Polish President Andrzej Duda said Poland would be “sending transport planes from the Air Force to evacuate Poles currently in Israel. Soldiers from our special forces will ensure loading protection and safety on board. We are working so that all our compatriots can return home peacefully.”
His words echoed an earlier post by the head of the Polish Ministry of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, who wrote that “the Polish Army was preparing to evacuate Poles from Israel” using C-130 Hercules transport planes.
Updated information on evacuation flights and guidance for tourists can be found on the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or the Facebook page of the Polish Embassy in Tel Aviv at: www.facebook.com/polishembassy.telaviv.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Reuters, PAP
LOT Polish Airlines has unveiled a robust strategy for 2024-2028, eyeing nearly 30 percent growth and a potential expansion to 20 new destinations.
According to CEO Michał Fijoł, the strategy involves launching 20 new destinations, including additional routes to the United States, Canada, Vietnam, Thailand, China, South Korea, and Japan.
Expanding the national airline’s footprint in Europe and enhancing connectivity between Poland and Ukraine are also in the cards, with plans to transport 10 million passengers in 2023, with an ambitious target of nearly 17 million by 2028.
The carrier is well on its way to meeting this year’s goals, with nearly 7 million passengers using the airline from January to August.
Last year, the carrier earned a profit of PLN 113.7 million on revenues of over PLN 8.3 billion. It transported 8 million passengers and conducted more than 85,000 flights.
The Polish government is the main shareholder of LOT, holding 69.3 percent of the stock, followed by the Polish Aviation Group (PGL), which holds 30.7 percent and is fully owned by the State Treasury.
Source: Polskie Radio
Iga Świątek has won her fifth title of the year after defeating Liudmila Samsanova of Russia yesterday to win the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing.
The world No 2 defeated Samsanova in two straight sets (6-2, 6-2) yesterday, the third time Świątek has beaten the Russian player in competition.
Sunday’s victory marks Świątek’s fifth title this year and her first WTA 1000 title. Overall, the 22-year-old Polish tennis phenom has won 16 WTA tournaments.
Fellow countryman Hubert Hurkacz also advanced to the Round of 16 at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in China yesterday after defeating Taiwan’s Yu Hsiou Hsu 6-4, 6-4. The 17th-ranked Hurkacz is set to face China’s Zhang Zhizhen on Tuesday for a place in the quarterfinals.
Source: PAP, Polskie Radio, wtatennis.com
A unique exhibition of maritime-themed artistic works was unveiled over the weekend in Sopot at the historic tennis house of the Sopot Tennis Klub (Sopocki Klub Tenisowy).
The exhibition “From Karwia to Piaski” features works of Pomeranian seafaring artists such as Artur and Henryk Baranowski and Bogusław Górecki. During Saturday’s event, alpinist and painter Ryszard Kowalewski was also awarded a medal “For Merit for Polish Culture” by Jarosław Sellin, Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage.
As Sellin explained, the award is given to those who “stand out for [their] achievements…people who have contributed to Polish culture.”
Marek Formela, editor-in-chief of “Gazeta Gdańska,” the sponsor of the exhibition, praised the “charming” location, calling it “part of a Sopot landscape that will combine the world of sports with the world of culture, which in the history of the Olympic Games was part of our common experience.”
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be partly cloudy and cool, with only a slight chance of rain and a light breeze coming from the west. Temperatures will stay on the cooler side, with an afternoon high of 13°C or 55°F, dropping to a low of 5°C or 41°F overnight. Slightly warmer, sunnier weather is expected tomorrow, with clouds and a chance for some rain returning midweek.
Elizabeth Peck/jk
