Airlines and governments are racing against time to evacuate thousands of tourists from Israel as fears of a potential ground assault on Gaza loom large.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a “large-scale strike” on Hamas targets in Gaza, while forming an emergency unity government with former Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) international spokesperson, Lt. Col Richard Hecht, revealed that the possibility of a ground operation has not been confirmed yet.
“Anyone who will come near the fence will be shot – anyone,” he said, adding Hamas is still trying to come into Israel through the sea. “No one’s coming in, no one’s coming out.”
Hamas has reported a devastating toll of 15 Palestinians killed in a series of airstrikes, which they claim targeted residential buildings without warning. These attacks have escalated tensions in the region.
Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, has shocked the world by stating that the bodies of civilians killed by Hamas militants displayed signs of torture “unlike anything they’d ever seen.”
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Amidst this escalating crisis, Israeli flag carrier El Al has announced 12 additional flights to and from various destinations to facilitate evacuations. Other foreign airlines have suspended or reduced services, leaving passengers stranded and consular services struggling to keep up with the demand for assistance.
Air France and Lufthansa continue their flights, but Norwegian Air canceled an evacuation flight due to a lack of insurance coverage, and Dutch airline KLM pulled out over safety concerns.
The insurance industry is closely monitoring the situation, with Israel not typically considered a high-risk area for aviation. Nevertheless, underwriters are cautious due to the escalating violence.
British Airways has suspended flights to Tel Aviv due to security concerns and even diverted a flight back to London, while the UK government has ordered the families of its diplomats in Israel to evacuate.
As evacuation efforts intensify, the combined death toll on both sides has now surpassed 2,000 people, resulting from weekend attacks by a militant faction of the Palestinian political group Hamas and retaliatory strikes by Israeli forces. Moreover, this crisis has left approximately 340,000 people displaced, according to the United Nations.
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The situation remains highly volatile and is being closely monitored by the international community.
