After Iran onslaught, Israel resumes flights—Ben Gurion turns into escape route with just 50 seats per plane; here's what we know
Israel began allowing outbound flights from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on Monday after nearly ten days of suspension, following the escalation with Iran. Authorities expected over 1,000 passengers to leave the country that day. Each plane is restricted to just 50 passengers, with top priority given to urgent medical, humanitarian, and national security-related cases.Transportation Minister Miri Regev explained the decision, stating, 'We need to limit the number of passengers on planes on the tarmac during this challenging period when the airport can be a target.' Repatriation flights and border crossings continue
The country's airspace was closed on June 13, after Israel launched strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, stranding about 40,000 foreign tourists. Some travelers were only able to leave through land routes to Egypt and Jordan or by sea.Israel began a phased national repatriation program last week, aiming to bring back 100,000–150,000 citizens. Since Wednesday, El Al, Israir, and Arkia have been operating daylight-only inbound flights from Europe and the U.S. due to the risk of night-time missile attacks. Incoming flights have been landing at a rate of two per hour, but without outbound passengers—until now.
ईरान ने कर दिखाया 🇮🇷☝️.. #IranVsIsrael
होर्मुज जलडमरूमध्य में एक बहुत बड़ा तेल टैंकर जल रहा है। ईरान ने कहा है कि जब तक ईरान अनुमति नहीं देगा, तब तक कोई भी जहाज होर्मुज जलडमरूमध्य से नहीं गुजरेगा! @CommonBS786OM#IranIsraelConflict #Iran #Israel #IsraelIranConflict #IsraeliranWar pic.twitter.com/e9znD7DCFd — MOHD__SAMEER (@Mohd_SameerIn) June 23, 2025 Operational changes, ticket pricing, and travel rules
All outbound flights are currently operating from Terminal 3. Only travelers with valid tickets may enter, with exceptions for those assisting minors or passengers with special needs. Passengers are instructed to arrive no earlier than two hours before departure, use public transportation, and limit time at the terminal. Cafés remain open, but duty-free stores are closed.El Al announced outbound flights to eight cities. Canceled ticket holders since June 13 will be rebooked at no extra cost. For new bookings, fixed rates apply: Larnaca ($99), Athens ($149), Rome/Paris/London ($299), New York/Los Angeles ($795), and Bangkok ($695). Arkia will operate six flights to select European destinations.
Minister Regev added that outbound travelers can only book return flights dated at least 30 days after departure. 'We estimate that about 84,000 Israelis still need to return,' she said.
Israel's cautious reopening of departures show a shift in wartime travel restrictions, but future flight capacity will depend on security updates.
For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. First Published: Jun 23, 2025, 13:59 IST
Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions—yet!). For her, writing isn't just work; it's a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts. Read More
23/6/2025 14:32:32
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
No proof Hamas routinely stole UN aid: Israeli military officials
JERUSALEM: For nearly two years, Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid provided by the United Nations and other international organisations. The govt has used that claim as its main rationale for restricting food from entering the Gaza Strip. But the Israeli military never found proof that the Palestinian militant group had systematically stolen aid from the United Nations, the biggest supplier of emergency assistance to Gaza for most of the war, according to two senior Israeli military officials and two other Israelis involved in the matter. In fact, the Israeli military officials said, the UN aid delivery system was largely effective in providing food to Gaza's hungry population. Now, with hunger at crisis levels in the territory, Israel is coming under increased international pressure over its conduct of the war in Gaza and the humanitarian suffering it has brought. Israel has largely brushed off the criticism. David Mencer, a govt spokesperson, said this past week that there was "no famine caused by Israel." Instead, he blamed Hamas and poor coordination by the United Nations for any food shortages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Shop Sale Libas Undo Israel moved in May toward replacing the UN-led aid system, opting instead to back a private, American-run operation guarded by armed US contractors in areas controlled by Israeli military forces. Some aid still comes into Gaza through the UN and other organisations. The new system has proved to be much deadlier for Palestinians. According to the Gaza health ministry, almost 1,100 people have been killed by gunfire on their way to get food handouts under the new system, in many cases by Israeli soldiers who opened fire on hungry crowds. In the latest such incident, three people were killed by Israeli gunfire while waiting for aid in three separate incidents in northern, central and southern Gaza, said the civil defence agency on Saturday. In total, at least 25 people were killed, reports AFP. The military officials who spoke to The New York Times said that the original UN aid operation was relatively reliable and less vulnerable to Hamas interference than the operations of many of the other groups bringing aid into Gaza. Hamas did steal from some of the smaller organisations that donated aid, according to the senior Israeli officials and others involved in the matter. But, they say, there was no evidence that Hamas regularly stole from the UN, which provided the largest chunk of the aid.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
EU chief von der Leyen heads to Scotland for trade talks with Trump
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen headed to Scotland on Saturday ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Sunday afternoon, commission spokespeople said, as EU officials said the two sides were nearing a trade agreement. Trump, in Scotland for a few days of golfing and bilateral meetings, told reporters upon his arrival on Friday evening that he was looking forward to meeting with von der Leyen, calling her a 'highly respected' leader. He repeated his view that there was a 50-50 chance that the US and the 27-member European Union could reach a framework trade pact, adding that Brussels wanted to 'make a deal very badly'. If it happened, he said it would be the biggest trade agreement reached yet by his administration, surpassing the $550 billion accord agreed with Japan earlier this week. The White House has released no details about the planned meeting or the terms of the emerging agreement. The European Commission on Thursday said a negotiated trade solution with the United States was within reach, even as EU members voted to approve counter-tariffs on 93 billion euros ($109 billion) of US goods in case the talks collapse. To get a deal, Trump said the EU would have to 'buy down' that tariff rate, although he gave no specifics. EU diplomats say a possible deal between Washington and Brussels would likely include a broad 15% tariff on EU goods imported into the US, mirroring the US-Japan deal, along with a 50% tariff on European steel and aluminum. The broad tariff rate would be half the 30% duties that Trump has threatened to slap on EU goods from August 1. It remains unclear if Washington will agree to exempt the EU from sectoral tariffs on automobiles, pharmaceuticals and other goods that have already been announced or are pending. Combining goods, services and investment, the EU and the United States are each other's largest trading partners by far. The American Chamber of Commerce in Brussels warned in March that any conflict jeopardized $9.5 trillion of business in the world's most important commercial relationship.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Macron's Palestine move could tilt West Asia dynamics as US and Israel dig in
French President Emmanuel Macron's bid to recognise a Palestinian state could shift power dynamics in West Asia, pressure Western allies and revive long-stalled peace efforts amid growing frustration over the ongoing war in Gaza. read more French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement to officially recognise a Palestinian state this September may not immediately alter realities in Gaza or halt Israel's war but it has injected new momentum into the global debate over peace and statehood in West Asia, especially at a time when the United States and Israel have stepped back from diplomacy, blaming Hamas for failing to reach a deal and stating that they would 'consider alternative options'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If implemented, France will become the first Western permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to grant such recognition, joining China and Russia. This could shift power dynamics within the council and add pressure on Western allies to reconsider their positions. Macron's announcement follows months of failed attempts to build consensus with G7 allies like the UK and Canada. While those efforts faltered due to fears of antagonising the United States, France has decided to move ahead unilaterally. French diplomats say the country will now attempt to bring others on board ahead of a broader peace-focused conference in September. Although symbolic, Macron's move highlighted a growing frustration with military-led approaches to the crisis. With war continuing in Gaza, peace talks dormant and civilian casualties mounting, the French president has sought to revive the long-stalled two-state solution as the only credible path to a lasting resolution. 'The prospect of a negotiated solution… seems increasingly distant. I cannot resign myself to that,' Macron wrote to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, reaffirming his country's intent. He added that recognising Palestine is essential to keeping diplomatic options alive and meeting the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians. Macron's decision also serves a domestic purpose: addressing mounting public pressure over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. But given France's influential position in the EU and the UN Security Council, its move could ripple far beyond its borders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Strategic analysts note that Macron's timing is deliberate. With less than two years left in office, he is seeking to define his legacy in foreign policy. His decision comes at a moment when US-led efforts have largely stalled, and Israel has shown little appetite for negotiations. The United States and the UK, still opposed to recognising Palestinian statehood, could soon find themselves isolated on the Security Council if more countries follow France's lead. 'This could set a diplomatic precedent among Western powers,' David Rigoulet-Roze of the French Institute of Strategic Analysis told AP. France would be the first G7 nation and the most influential European power to endorse Palestinian statehood, lending the move symbolic and geopolitical weight. Already, 147 countries have recognised Palestine; France would be the 148th, and the most powerful among them in Europe. While Germany has ruled out recognition and the UK has no immediate plans to follow suit, Macron's initiative may force a re-evaluation among Western capitals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel and the United States have denounced the move, accusing Macron of rewarding Hamas following its October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the ongoing war. Trump has dismissed the announcement as inconsequential, although he softened his tone by calling Macron 'a good guy'. With Gaza in ruins and Israeli settlement expansion continuing in the West Bank, hopes for a viable two-state solution may seem distant. Yet Macron's recognition bid could redefine the contours of diplomacy, forcing difficult conversations in Western capitals and possibly creating new space for negotiations in the long run. With inputs from agencies
