Israel
AA: Supported 2,800 German citizens to leave the country
Lufthansa had stopped its special flights from Israel. photo
© Lukas Barth/dpa
Since the Islamist Hamas attacks on Israel, many Germans have managed to return home. But many are still looking for a chance to leave the country.
According to its own information, the Foreign Office has allowed around 2,800 German citizens and family members to leave the country Israel supports. The Foreign Office said today that people left the country by land, air and sea after the Islamist Hamas began its attacks a week ago. This Sunday there is an opportunity to leave the country with special flights from the airline Condor from the Jordanian city of Aqaba, which is located directly on Israel’s southern border.
Lufthansa had stopped its scheduled flights from Israel for the time being. In addition to security issues, the background is “also unresolved questions of operational stability in Tel Aviv,” according to the airline. Israel is apparently preparing a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The new exit option via Jordan has 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.
Tel Aviv Airport is also still open and is served by commercial airlines. The focus is currently on providing those wishing to leave the country with further exit options.
AA: There is currently a sharp decline in demand for departures
The departure of German citizens has led to a sharp drop in demand “for the moment”. Entries on the ministry’s crisis preparedness list, the Elefand system, have also declined significantly. The registrations have fallen from around 5,500 to currently 3,600 in the past 48 hours. The numbers are currently being consolidated as many people who have left the country have probably not registered.
Around 150 people were recorded in Gaza and around 320 people in the West Bank. We are in close coordination with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities to find ways to leave Gaza.
“Prepare for all eventualities”
The Foreign Ministry appealed to Germans wanting to leave the country to register in Elefand. 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.
Elephant