Chaim V’Chessed continues to receive a high volume of inquiries from Israeli residents stranded abroad – who wish to return home – and from those urgently seeking to leave Israel. Below is the most current information available.

Returning to Israel

Close to 100,000 residents of Israel are believed to be stranded abroad due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. This morning, the first two so-called “repatriation flights” landed in Israel – one from Athens and one from Rome, bringing Israelis home.

At present, these flights are extremely limited. There are flights by El Al, Israir and Arkia from select destinations, on which passengers who already held tickets are being placed – or offered seats – at the airlines’ discretion. Airlines will reach out to their passengers to place them on flights. It is extremely difficult – if not impossible – for passengers to reach the airlines on their own.

There are very limited spaces available for travelers who do not hold tickets or who held tickets on other airlines.

During the previous round of conflict, repatriation flights were initially limited to Israeli citizens only. Chaim V’Chessed advocated strongly on behalf of Israeli residents who do not hold Israeli citizenship, and will do so again if this arises again. At this time, we do not yet know whether citizenship restrictions will again become an issue.

For those unable to secure space on these very limited flights, the only current alternative is to enter Israel via Egypt – essentially reversing the route being used by those exiting the country.

In addition to the option of flying into Sharm el-Sheikh Airport on regularly scheduled commercial flights, Israir is operating flights to Taba Airport from various destinations. Passengers can then enter Israel at the Taba Broder Crossing.

Leaving Israel

Currently, no outbound flights are permitted to depart from Israel. The Israeli government has announced that limited outbound flights are expected to begin departing Israel on Sunday.

However, several critical points must be emphasized:

• It remains to be seen how this plan will actually unfold.
• Based on what has been announced – mirroring the previous conflict – flights may be limited to 50 passengers per flight.
• Passengers may be permitted only a very limited amount of time inside the terminal.

Full operational details have not yet been released.

It is likely – though not yet confirmed – that available seats will again be offered primarily to those who previously held reservations. Even if these flights begin as announced, they will certainly not provide a solution for the huge number of people currently seeking to leave.

Ongoing Options

At present, the best functioning route out of Israel remains travel through Egypt, departing from:

• Taba Airport
• Sharm el-Sheikh Airport

Israir is operating a significant number of flights out of Taba Airport to various destinations.

Various agencies are offering complete packages for departing Israel via Egypt, including transportation to the airports in Egypt. These include Lalechet and Emes Travel.

As with all current developments, this remains subject to change.

Travel Through Egypt – What You Need to Know

Many have asked whether it is safe or recommended to travel via Egypt.

It is important to note:

• Israel maintains a standing travel advisory against travel to Egypt, which has been in effect for some time.
• At the same time, thousands of travelers have successfully transited Egypt in recent days, both entering and exiting Israel.

Without offering any recommendation, we can report the following practical realities:

The journey is arduous.

• 3-4 hour drive to Eilat
• Up to 2 hours at the border crossing
• Approximately 3 additional hours if continuing to Sharm el-Sheikh
• Those departing from Sharm or Taba must generally connect through Europe before continuing to their final destinations.

These itineraries are long, complex, and often grueling. Nevertheless, many have completed them successfully, and for now, this remains the most viable mass option.

Travel Through Jordan – What You Need to Know

It is possible to exit Israel via Jordan and continue onward to other international destinations. However, during the June conflict with Iran, many travelers reported experiencing greater hostility and difficulty from Jordanian authorities than from Egyptian authorities.

It remains to be seen how this route will function in the current situation.

Option 1 – Amman (Queen Alia International Airport)

Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport offers numerous global connections, including nonstop flights to the United States.

Under normal circumstances, this airport is most easily accessed via the Allenby Bridge Crossing. However, this border crossing crossing is largely closed due to the ongoing conflict, making travel to Amman much more difficult at this time.

Option 2 – Via Eilat to Aqaba

Travelers may instead travel south to Eilat and cross into Jordan via the Yitzhak Rabin Crossing.

• The crossing is currently open, though it does not operate 24 hours a day.
• After entering Jordan, travelers can:
  • Travel north to Amman and depart from Queen Alia International Airport
  • Remain in the south and fly from Aqaba

Arkia is scheduled to begin operating special flights from Aqaba as of Sunday, providing an additional departure option for those seeking to leave the region.

{Matzav.com}