Outgoing flights to enable people to leave Israel will start Monday, says Regev

Transportation Minister Miri Regev says Israel is preparing to operate outgoing departure flights starting Monday to help tourists, diplomats and Israelis leave the country — subject to approval by a government-led exceptions committee.

Regev says that initially the exceptions committee will give high priority to tourists, diplomats, youth and sports groups, and those with urgent humanitarian and medical needs, who have been stranded in the country since the Iran conflict started on Friday, with few options to leave.

“At the bottom line of the priority list will be Israelis who want to leave the country because they want to go on holidays, as our focus is first to bring back the 100,000 Israelis who are abroad,” says Regev. “The exceptions committee will also examine approvals subject to urgent humanitarian and medical needs of passengers.”

Until now, the government-led airlift mission launched on Wednesday has focused on bringing Israelis back home in a phased and limited manner. Israel has not allowed foreigners or Israeli passengers to leave the country via air travel to avoid overcrowding and minimize the time planes spend on the ground at Ben Gurion Airport due to security reasons and Home Front Command guidelines. The international airport has been a frequent target of missile attacks.