Following Israel’s deadly attacks over the weekend, the UK government has arranged flights to evacuate its stranded citizens from Israel. However, only eligible citizens will be contacted directly, and they should not go to the airports unless they have been called to. A team of UK diplomats experienced in case management has also been sent to Israel to assist the British nationals. The UK government maintained this week that it would not arrange evacuation flights because there were still many commercial routes available.
However, popular airlines suspended flights in recent days, leaving people struggling to use the remaining commercial routes. As Virgin Atlantic and British Airways stop their last regular service on Thursday, many British nationals are struggling to find proper tickets. The flights provided by the government are also commercial but arranged by the Foreign Office, and every passenger will be charged £300. Each British national, including dual citizens and those travelling with a British national resident in the UK will be invited to take the available seats.
Other countries, such as Canada, France, Italy, and Poland, have already completed their flights to evacuate people in Israel. Previously, Shaya from Greater Manchester expressed his concern about his sister, Esther, her husband, and nine children traveling via Dubai and Amsterdam to get home. The family had been living through the terror of air raid sirens throughout their stay and had not yet found a seat on a commercial flight home.
The embassy in Israel continues to offer consular assistance to the British nationals, but the Foreign Office still advises against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and essential travel to the other parts. The Foreign Office also confirms that families of British diplomats were leaving Israel for precautionary measures. Furthermore, the Israeli government has suggested preparing to launch a ground military operation inside Gaza amidst the deadly attacks from Hamas at the weekend, resulting in 1,300 deaths
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