Thousands of Israelis stranded abroad due to flight suspension
Hebrew media reported that 150,000 Israelis are stranded abroad due to the suspension of international air traffic to Tel Aviv, against the backdrop of security tensions in the region.
For days, Israel has been anticipating retaliatory responses from Iran, the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and the Lebanese Hezbollah after the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last Wednesday, the day after the assassination of Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shukr in Beirut.
Channel 12 Israel said on its website that about 150,000 Israelis were stranded outside the country and were unable to return to Israel due to the suspension of international air traffic to Tel Aviv.
She added that Israeli airlines continue to operate flights, but there is concern about flights sold and operated by foreign companies and crews in the coming days, as they are supposed to transport tens of thousands of Israelis by air to Tel Aviv.
According to the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority, about 4,000 Israelis stranded abroad have contacted the Foreign Ministry in Tel Aviv in order to return to Israel.
Since Monday, 15 international airlines have cancelled their flights to and from Tel Aviv, some for days and others indefinitely, due to escalating security tensions in the region.
Israeli media reported that these companies operate hundreds of flights weekly to and from Tel Aviv.
Last Saturday, the Hebrew newspaper Maariv reported that flights between Tel Aviv and Eilat were cancelled on Saturday night and throughout Sunday due to the security situation.
Last Thursday, Israel announced raising the state of alert in anticipation of reactions from Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah to the assassination of Haniyeh and Shukr, in light of the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.
The number of victims of the Israeli aggression on Gaza has so far reached more than 130,000 people, between martyrs and wounded, most of whom are children and women.
