The Israeli Transportation Minister has announced that outbound flights will commence on Monday to repatriate stranded Israelis and foreigners. As the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates, closed airspaces have left many unable to leave the country.
Tourists, Israelis with medical needs, diplomats, sports groups, and youth groups are among those prioritised for early departure. “At the bottom line of the priority list will be Israelis who want to leave the country because they want to go on holidays, as our focus is first to bring back the 100,000 Israelis who are abroad,” says Transportation Minister Miri Regev.
“The exceptions committee will also examine approvals subject to urgent humanitarian and medical needs of passengers,” Regev added. Until now, the government-led airlift mission launched on Wednesday has focused on bringing Israelis back home in a phased and limited manner.
Israel has not permitted foreigners or Israeli passengers to depart the country via air travel to avoid overcrowding and minimise the time planes spend on the ground at Ben Gurion Airport due to security reasons and Home Front Command guidelines.
Many of those seeking to flee the country via plane will be heading to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Monday. The airport has been the frequent target of Iranian missile attacks in the past week, the Mirror US reports.
Foreign nationals trapped in both Israel and Iran have been attempting to flee the region as the endless waves of reciprocal missile and drone attacks have reached there seventh day. Already, hundreds have fled by land, with the latest figures showing:
- A group of 89 Bulgarians was evacuated from Israel by plane to Sofia, along with 59 nationals from Slovenia, the U.S., Belgium, Albania, Kosovo and Romania.
- China said it has evacuated more than 1,600 nationals from Iran and “several hundred others” from Israel.
- The European Union has helped evacuate some 400 people from Israel via Jordan and Egypt as part of its efforts to coordinate an emergency response within the 27-nation bloc.
- Germany flew 171 people out of Amman on a special flight on Wednesday. A further 174 people returned on Thursday and another flight is planned this weekend.
- Greece’s Foreign Ministry said 141 Greeks and other nationals have been evacuated from Israel via Egypt.
- India said it evacuated 110 students by road from northern Iran to the Armenian capital, Yerevan. They left on a special flight on June 18.
- Oman said Thursday it had evacuated 245 of its citizens and nationals from other countries via the Iranian coastal city of Bandar Abbas.
- Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Friday that a total of 87 Japanese nationals and their families have safely evacuated from Iran and Israel to neighboring Azerbaijan and Jordan.
- South Korea’s Foreign Ministry says 18 South Korean nationals and two Iranian family members were evacuated from Iran and arrived in Turkmenistan late Wednesday by land.
However, for the many thousands still trapped in the region, Monday will be their first real opportunity to flee the often indiscriminate attacks, which yesterday saw parts of an Israeli hospital reduced to rubble, with 71 people injured.
The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, amid a threat of ‘regional escalation.’
They advise: ” Following Israeli strikes against targets in Iran, Iran has launched multiple rounds of missile and drone attacks against Israel. On 13 June a nationwide state of emergency was declared in Israel. Israeli airspace remains closed and Ben Gurion Airport is currently closed .
“This is a fast-moving situation that poses significant risks. The situation has the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning.”