The Bundeswehr is flying German citizens out of Israel with two military aircraft. The first plane with 51 passengers on board landed in Wunstorf early in the morning. According to the Bundeswehr, further flights are being prepared.
The first Bundeswehr plane with passengers flown out from Israel has landed in Germany. The A400M military transporter arrived at the military airfield in Wunstorf, Lower Saxony, early in the morning, the Bundeswehr announced via the online platform X. There are 51 passengers on board. A second transport plane with 29 passengers was scheduled to land a little later.
According to the Air Force, the two military transporters were sent from Germany to Tel Aviv loaded with relief supplies. The first plane landed in Israel on Saturday evening. The second made a stopover in Cyprus and, according to the Bundeswehr, landed in Tel Aviv that night.
Another flight prepared for Sunday
According to the dpa news agency, a “hub” is to be built in Tel Aviv – a hub for possible further flights. The deployment of another Bundeswehr machine was already prepared for Sunday. “Further flights are in preparation,” the Bundeswehr announced via the online platform X.
“The Bundeswehr is in close coordination with the Foreign Office and is supporting it with the so-called rapid air pick-up. We are also prepared for military evacuations should this become necessary,” said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. “I am proud that our population can rely on the rapid deployment of these forces.”
2,800 Germans have already left the country
In the past few days, the Foreign Office has already supported around 2,800 German citizens and family members to leave the country. It was said that people left the country by land, air and sea after the terrorist attack by the militant Islamist Hamas a week ago.
Lufthansa had initially stopped its scheduled flights from Israel and then used special flights. In addition to security issues, the background is “also unresolved questions of operational stability in Tel Aviv,” according to the airline.
The Israeli military says it is preparing for an “integrated and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land” on the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It was said that the preparations were nearing completion. This includes calling up hundreds of thousands of reservists and equipping them.
“Prepared for all eventualities”
A new exit option via Jordan had so far only been used to a very limited extent. The Foreign Office wanted to help people who decided to do so with bus transport to Aqaba. Those leaving the country could quickly and easily acquire an electronic visa or a visa on arrival online.
The Foreign Ministry appealed to Germans wanting to leave the country to register on the “Elefand” crisis preparedness list. Keep in constant contact with everyone. In addition, they are preparing “for all eventualities, for example in the event that the situation worsens,” it said.