Following an unexpected assault by Palestinian group Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a clear message to Palestinians residing near Hamas sites in Gaza. He declared Israel’s intent to take aggressive action, transforming Hamas hideouts into ruins. Netanyahu, during a televised address, urged Gaza residents to relocate immediately in anticipation of Israel’s impending strong response.
In the aftermath, major airlines suspended operations to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport. Among the affected carriers were American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Ryanair, and Aegean Airlines, who withdrew scheduled flights.
Lufthansa, the German airline, halted all flights connecting Tel Aviv through Monday, with a commitment to assess the ongoing security conditions in Israel. Brussels Airline, associated with Lufthansa, mirrored this decision, ceasing its flights to Tel Aviv.
Air France, while suspending its Tel Aviv operations indefinitely, had its subsidiary Transavia abort all flights connecting Paris and Lyon to Tel Aviv till Monday. Iberia, from Spain, suspended its Tel Aviv operations via its low-cost arm, Iberia Express. Italy’s ITA Airways prioritized passenger and crew safety, suspending flights until Sunday morning.
Notably, flights to Eilat, Israel’s secondary international airport located by the Red Sea and a favored tourist destination, were unaffected by the disruptions.
Meanwhile, in response to the ongoing situation, Warsaw-based Polish carrier, LOT, also cancelled Saturday’s flights from Poland to Israel.
