Reuters
El Al Israel Airlines planes are seen on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International airport in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 10, 2020.
Israel on Monday announced an emergency plan, which will be activated if foreign airlines completely stop flights to the country amid the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Israel's Transport Minister Miri Regev announced the plan in a statement, noting it aims to help Israelis return to the country if their flights on foreign airlines are canceled.
According to the emergency plan, Israeli airlines will launch an increased number of flights to Israel at four airports in New York, Frankfurt, Athens, and Dubai, which were chosen to serve as departure hubs for their connectivity with global airports.
Israeli airlines have added more than 20 flights to transfer Israelis, and more than 100,000 have so far returned to the country since the conflict broke out on Saturday, according to the statement.
The minister also instructed to prepare Ramon Airport near the southernmost city of Eilat for inbound international flights.
The ministry also called on Israelis who plan to depart the country to reconsider their plans due to the difficulties that may arise in returning to Israel.
So far, only part of the foreign airlines' flights to Israel have been canceled since the conflict erupted on Saturday, the statement added.