Israeli soldiers work to secure residential areas following a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel, Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad
i24 News — International airlines have announced the suspension of operations and the cancellation of flights due to an ongoing war in Israel that erupted this weekend, in which the Hamas terrorist group opened a brutal onslaught.
Palestinian terror groups, led by Hamas, attacked Israel on Saturday. The multi-front assault was carried out by air, land, and sea. Drones were used to infiltrate Israeli territory, and rockets were being launched throughout the country.
As Israeli security forces were still fighting to retake southern communities that were overtaken by Palestinian terrorists, international airlines said many flights to and from Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport were delayed or canceled.
US and European carriers suspended operations and canceled their flights to and from Tel Aviv. Some of the largest groups included American Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Delta ,and United, as well as their subsidiaries.
Israel’s own national El Al company was offering that customers “may suspend flights without charge or cancel with a voucher without costs.” It added in its statement that an emergency hotline was set up to assist people with changing their flights.
Furthermore, the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority stated that “airports in southern and central Israel, including Timna, Rosh Pina, and Herzliya airports, are closed to private and sports flights.”
Ben Gurion International Airport has remained open, operating in accordance with safety and security guidelines. Travelers were advised to keep up to date with flight times on the Civil Aviation Authority website and with the various airlines.
According to the Flightradar24 website, 14 percent of flights at Ben Gurion Airport were canceled and 75 percent delayed.