British man weighs desert escape from Israel amid Iranian missile strikes
James Eden, 72, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, flew to Israel last Monday for a six-day Christian pilgrimage.
But he now finds himself trapped in a near-deserted city, with missiles flying overhead and outbound flights suspended.
It comes as the Foreign Office updated its guidance to advise against all travel to Israel, warning the situation could 'deteriorate further, quickly and without warning'.
Mr Eden told the PA news agency: 'They (the FCDO) rang me and said there wasn't a lot they could do.
'They can't put on any planes because the airspace is shut – all they can do is send out alerts and keep track of us.'
When the grandfather-of-four asked about crossing the border, officials told him he could travel to Egypt at his own risk.
'They said if I care to, I can' he said.
'They're not going to stop me – but they're not going to help me get out of Egypt either.'
The journey would mean a four-hour bus ride through the Negev desert to Eilat, before crossing into Egypt and trying to fly home from Sharm El Sheikh.
Temperatures in the region are expected to reach up to 35C this week.
'I've done that route before, 20 years ago, so I know it,' Mr Eden said.
'But once you step into Egypt, who knows what happens then? It's a risk.'
Mr Eden, a retired accountant, had been travelling with friend Miki Mogyorossy, 49, from London, and spent the early part of the trip visiting religious sites.
But on their third night, they were jolted awake by sirens warning of incoming missiles, forcing them to shelter in a stairwell.
Since then, he said, Jerusalem has felt 'like a ghost town'.
Now relocated to a hotel near the Old City walls, Mr Eden said the embassy has kept in touch but can offer little more than updates.
'They said, 'We've got your name, we know you're there – keep us updated'. But there's not much else,' he said.
'I've got two weeks of medication with me. I was enjoying myself, but now I just want to go home.'
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We're in contact with a British man in Israel.
'The situation is fast-moving, and we urge British nationals in the region to monitor updates to FCDO Travel Advice.
'We stand ready to support British nationals 24/7.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Is it safe to travel to Thailand and Cambodia? Foreign Office issue updated advice after border clashes
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have deteriorated over the past week, with the two countries exchanging fire across several disputed border zones on Thursday, 24 July. The Thai health ministry said 14 civilians and a soldier had been killed in the fighting so far and 46 people wounded. The Cambodian government did not provide any such details but an provincial official in Oddar Meanchey said a civilian had been killed and five wounded. Tensions have run high between the two countries since a soldier was killed during gunfire in a disputed border area in late May, only to escalate again earlier this week after Thailand accused Cambodia of laying landmines in a disputed territory. Both countries attract large numbers of tourists each year, with Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex and its capital Phnom Penh major draws, while Thailand sees many visitors in cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, along with islands such as Phuket and Koh Samui. While these hotspots are not located near the border clashes, tourists should be aware of the closure of the crossings between the two countries as tensions escalate. Read more: Thailand-Cambodia border clash latest Where have clashes occurred? Gunfire began early on Thursday morning near the ancient Prasat Ta Moan Thom temple, found along the border between Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey. Both sides accused the other of firing the first shots, initiating the attack. Further clashes were reported near the Prasat Ta Krabey site and along the border separating Cambodia's Preah Vihear province and Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani. Footage in Thailand showed civilians fleeing explosions and seeking shelter in concrete bunkers. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet claimed Thailand had targeted Cambodian military positions in multiple places. One of Thailand's six F-16 fighter jets launched an attack, destroying what Thai officials described as a Cambodian military target. Has the shared border closed? Thailand has ordered the closure of all the crossings along its 817km border shared with Cambodia, areas of which are undemarcated. What is the UK government's advice? In its travel advice for Cambodia, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirmed the border's closure. 'Land borders/crossings between Cambodia and Thailand are temporarily suspended,' it wrote in an update on Thursday. 'The line of the international border near the Preah Vihear temple ('Khaoi Pra Viharn' in Thai) has been in dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, with occasional clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops. 'There have also been disputes over control of the Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples, which are close to the Cambodia-Thailand border. 'Take extra care when travelling in this area, and follow the instructions of the local authorities.' The FCDO travel advice for Thailand says the same about the border crossing, but adds: 'Take extra care and stay alert in border areas and follow the instructions of local authorities, especially at tourist destinations such as the Preah Vihear temple, the Ta Kwai temple and the Ta Muen Thom temple. 'There are also unexploded landmines in the border area. Stay on marked paths, especially around Ta Krabey.' Separately, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border, including the Pattani Province, Yala Province, Narathiwat Province and southern Songkhla Province – south of the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and south of the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Padang Besar. FCDO also advises against all but essential travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line that runs through these provinces. Can I cancel my holiday? As the FCDO has not warned against non-essential travel to Thailand or Cambodia, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund. The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it's best to contact them if you're looking to postpone. There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance due to safety concerns unless government advice changes. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you the daily Crossword
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
How Safe Will You Feel Traveling In Israel?
An Israeli El Al Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft bound for Los Angeles takes off from ... More Israel's central Ben Gurion Airport on June 25, 2025. (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images) It's no secret that tourism is down in Israel. But it's starting to come back, considering the timeless appeal of the country's religious and historic sites, its warm beaches, acclaimed cuisine and friendly people. During our travels in Israel in April and May, we felt safe. As the late Tom Petty sang, 'Most things I worry 'bout, Never happen anyway.' It would be a shame not to see Israel because of fear. There's Jerusalem where the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Via Dolorosa, the City of David and David's Tower bring tourists face to face with Bible times. There's secular Tel Aviv, with its beaches and Bauhaus architecture, fine dining and brilliant museums. The fortress of Masada where zealots fought the Romans, the Sea of Galilee, and even the final resting place of Princess Alice, grandmother of King Charles, are all worthy of visitation. And there's the Nova Festival memorial site. How safe is travel to Israel? After all, the country is in the midst of what has been described as a 'seven-front war,' which is finally winding down. The number one question we got when we returned from Israel was 'Weren't you afraid?' For my wife and I, the short answer was 'No.' We spent ten days there and felt comfortable. Of course, we do live in Los Angeles, where we were greeted on our return by someone breaking into our car, followed by a week of rioting. Aerial view of the ruins of Massada is a fortress built by Herod the Great on a cliff-top off the ... More coast of the Dead Sea. Destroyed by the Romans in the 1st century AD e. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List In Israel, you'll occasionally see a military jet or hear a helicopter overhead. You'll see a beautiful girl or a paunchy reservist carrying an M-16. It quickly becomes part of the scenery, like people playing matkot (an Israeli paddle ball game) at the beach in Tel Aviv or large religious families navigating the streets of Jerusalem. In the North or South you might see the occasional tank transporter schlepping a Merkava, but in Tel Aviv the streets are packed with tables of outdoor diners. Yes, the tiny country important to three of the world's great religions has been embroiled in a multifront war since October 7, 2023. On that day, several thousand terrorists launched an assault from Gaza that killed, injured or kidnapped more than 1500 people. Yes, the most visited destination in Israel is currently the Nova Music Festival site, where more than 360 young people were murdered on October 7. International and local visitors recognize the importance of this memorial. During our visit, we traveled from the shores of the Mediterranean in Tel Aviv to East Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. We drove to the Nova Festival in the south to the Galilee and the Golan in the North. We felt comfortable and welcome everywhere, whether traveling by car or taking the Jerusalem to Tel Aviv train or buses. We experienced two missile attacks. In Jerusalem, the alarms went off at 6:30AM on Shabbat. We got up and went to the stairwell of the Orient Hotel for a few minutes. When the missile was intercepted by Iron Dome, the alarms stopped. A few days later, we were driving to the North from Jerusalem when a Houthi hypersonic missile evaded Iron Dome. It landed near Ben Gurion Airport, creating a crater in the parking lot. No one was injured, but many foreign carriers canceled or postponed flights. But our El Al flight to Paris two days later was unaffected, departing right on time. People gather by the surf at a beach in Tel Aviv on June 21, 2025. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) El Al, and fellow Israeli airlines Arkia and Israir, have the reputation of flying even when other airlines cancel. El Al is currently the only airline flying nonstop from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv. Delta is set to return to flying to Ben Gurion after August 31, 2025. American Airlines has no plans to resume flights until at least September. That has resulted in high pricing on El Al. For non-stop flights from LAX on August 6, returning on August, I found two El Al economy fares, one $5162, the other $5892. You have a little more choice if you fly from the NY area, where Arkia and United join El Al in flying nonstop to Israel, a ten-and-a-half-hour flight. A non-stop on El Al from JFK to Israel on August 6, returning on August 20, is $4235, while a United roundtrip on the same dates is $3898. If you have more time than money, one-stops are available for much less. For example, JFK to TLV via AUH (Abu Dhabi) roundtrip on Etihad over those dates costs only $1653 but takes 24 hours from JFK to Israel and 32 hours to return. Faced with such costs and wait times, travelers from the U.S. to Israel often choose to connect via Europe. Tourist Israel lists many carriers flying to Israel here. My wife and I flew from LAX to Rome on Norse Atlantic Airlines and returned to LAX from Paris. Both flights were in Norse's Premium Class. We flew into Israel from Athens, and flew out of Israel to Paris, both on El Al flights. The total cost per person was about $2800 round trip, a huge savings in money, if not time, over the $5,000-plus El Al non-stops from LAX. To visit Israel, Americans now need a visa, also called an ETA-IL(Electronic Travel Authorization). It costs about $30 and allows you to visit for up to 90 days. It's a simple and fast process if you are eligible. In our case, my wife got a visa that was sufficient for both of us as we were traveling together. An Airbus A321-251NX from Arkia Israeli Airlines lands at Barcelona airport in Barcelona, Spain, on ... More September 14, 2024. (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images) The screening process starts with the visa and continues at the airport. Patience during the airport questioning is key. It's important to remember that those pesky questions are to keep you safe. From the screening to the questioning to the luggage checks to landing far from the terminal at Ben Gurion (a bus takes you there) airlines flying to Israel, particularly El Al, are vigilant. While the seemingly repetitive questioning can be irritating, it's worth contrasting with America's reliance on technology and 'security theater' like randomly searching grandmothers. In Israel, the ever-present security becomes part of the landscape and made us feel safe throughout the country. Israelis are friendly and curious (if sometimes brusque) and Israel's tourism industry is an important one. You will not encounter tourist go home sentiments like Barcelona or Venice, although you may get an incredulous 'You came?' The State Department website considers Israel a Level 3 out of possible 4 levels of travel warning. The advisory says, 'Reconsider travel due to terrorism, and civil unrest. The security situation in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is unpredictable.' For context, State lists 42 countries currently at a Level 3 or Level 4 safety level. This includes 23 countries at Level 3 ("Reconsider Travel") and 19 countries at Level 4 ("Do Not Travel") Some of the Level 3 countries include Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda. Russia, Syria, and Ukraine are Level 4 countries. During our visit, Israeli life seemed normal or even joyous, as on Independence Day. Yet even with the beaches and the cafes filled, the mood ranged from happy to sad. Yellow chairs, yellow ribbons, posters and stickers demanded freedom for the hostages and commemorated the dead. A sticker showed a smiling young paratrooper who had gotten his wings permanently. As I write this, 50 Israelis remained hostages in Gaza after more than 650 days. A young waitress in an upscale restaurant near Tel Aviv's Dizengoff Square Fountain told us she lost eight friends at the Nova Music Festival. The fountain itself has become the repository of memory, with mementoes and possessions of the missing and dead neatly arranged around the fountain. People at the site of the Nova music festival, location of an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, one year on ... More near Kibbutz Reim, southern Israel, on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. Israel has been in a state of war since Hamas stormed southern Israeli communities and military bases on Oct. 7 last year, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250. Photographer: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg Nonetheless, the museums, the music, the clubs, the ancient sites, and the people of Israel are all waiting for tourists to return. My son is returning there this fall. We went. We will go again. Hopefully soon, when the hostages are released and the war is over.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Newsweek
Senators Demand Answers as Delta Plans to Price More Tickets Based on What AI Thinks You'll Pay
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Three U.S. senators are demanding answers over Delta Air Lines' planned expansion to use artificial intelligence to set individualized fares — insisting the strategy is fraught with privacy concerns. Sens. Ruben Gallego, Richard Blumenthal and Mark Warner, all Democrats, sent a letter Monday to the Atlanta-based airline seeking additional details of plans to deploy AI-based revenue management technology across 20 percent of its domestic network in a matter of months. "Individualized pricing, or surveillance-based price setting, eliminates a fixed or static price in favor of prices that are tailored to an individual consumer's willingness to pay," the senators wrote to Delta in a letter obtained by Newsweek. "Delta's current and planned individualized pricing practices not only present data privacy concerns, but will also likely mean fare price increases up to each individual consumer's personal 'pain point' at a time when American families are already struggling with rising costs." A Delta Air Lines plane at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 9, 2025. A Delta Air Lines plane at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 9, Air Lines President Glen William Hauenstein told reporters during a July 10 earnings call that roughly 3 percent of the airline's domestic ticket prices are already set using AI, with hopes to reach 20 percent by the end of 2025. "So, we're in heavy testing phase," Hauenstein said. "We like what we see. We like it a lot and we're continuing to roll it out. But we're going to take our time and make sure that the rollout is successful, as opposed to trying to rush it and risk that there are unwanted answers in there." Hauenstein also praised Delta's partnership with Fetcherr, an Israel-based tech company that employs AI to process "millions of data points instantly," according to its website. "The convergence of AI, machine learning and real-time data processing completely transforms how airlines approach pricing strategy," a post on dynamic pricing in aviation reads. "Gone are the days of rigid pricing rules and manual adjustments. Welcome to the era of true dynamic pricing, where artificial intelligence can process millions of data points instantly to set the perfect price every time. Welcome to the modern age of AI dynamic pricing." But the approach is problematic, according to Gallego and his Democratic colleagues. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., arrives for a vote in the Capitol on May 13, 2025. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., arrives for a vote in the Capitol on May 13, 2025. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP Images "The implications for individual consumer privacy are severe on their own," they wrote Delta. "Surveillance pricing has been shown to utilize extensive personal information obtained through a variety of third-party channels, including data about a passenger's purchase history, web browsing behavior, geolocation, social media activity, biometric data, and financial status." Customers also have no way of knowing what data and personal information will be collected by Delta and Fetcherr, or how the airfare algorithm will be trained, according to the senators. "Prices could be dictated not by supply and demand, but by individual need," the letter continued. "While Delta has stated that the airline will 'maintain strict safeguards to ensure compliance with federal law,' your company has not shared what those safeguards are or how you plan to protect American families against pricing discrimination in the evolving AI landscape." The senators want a response by August 4, including details about the data Delta uses to train its revenue management system algorithm for setting customized prices for fares or other products, as well as how many passengers per day are currently purchasing fares set or informed by the customized model. Chelsea Wollerson, a Delta spokesperson, said the company had no immediate response to the letter early Tuesday. "There is no fare product Delta has ever used, is testing, or plans to use that targets customers with individualized offers based on personal information or otherwise," the airline told Newsweek in a statement late Monday. "A variety of market forces drive the dynamic pricing model that's been used in the global industry for decades, with new tech simply streamlining this process. Delta always complies with regulations around pricing and disclosures."
