What should Britons in Israel and Lebanon do? Travel advice from Foreign Office for travellers in the regions

• What British travellers need to know if they are currently on holiday in Israel

British travellers have been issued advice by the UK Foreign Office as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to intensify.  

Warnings from the British Government come after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday.

Air raid sirens have been sounding across Israel, with the military saying more than 4,500 rockets have been fired since the weekend.

But what exactly should British travellers in Israel and Lebanon do? Read on below for everything you need to know about the latest travel advice. 

Is it safe to travel to Israel? 

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO) office has issued a warning against all but essential travel to Israel and the West Bank. 

It said: 'In Israel and the West Bank, there is a risk of violent incidents, including stabbings, shootings, arson, vehicle rammings and stone throwing attacks on people and vehicles.

'These incidents have involved protestors (both Israelis and Palestinians), Israeli security forces, and civilians (including Israeli settlers). There is a risk that tourists or bystanders could be caught up in any of these types of incident.'

Further advise on its website says that, if you are in an area affected by the fighting, you should follow the instructions of Israeli Home Front Command. 

This can be done by visiting the Israeli Home Front Command website (available in Israel only) or calling 104 if you are in the country. 

What should I do if my flight to Israel has been cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled, you have a number of different options. 

You are legally entitled to a full refund, which includes other flights from the airline that you won't use in the same booking, such as onward or return journeys.

You are also entitled to a replacement flight to get you to your destination. 

If your cancelled flight delays you by two hours or more, you have the legal right to be helped with costs. 

If the replacement journey offered to you has delayed you by two hours or more, and you were given less than two weeks' notice, you are legally entitled to compensation. 

Which regions should you avoid in Israel?

Along with its advice warning against all but essential travel to the West Bank and Israel, the Foreign Office warns Britons against all travel to Gaza, the Shebaa Farms and Ghajjar, within 500m of the border with Lebanon (the 'Blue Line') east of Metula. 

This includes the northern edge of the town and within 500m of the border with Syria (the 'Alpha Line'), southwest of Ashkelon, the area south of route 35 and west of route 40 as far as Tlalim, not including Be'er Sheva, the area west of Be'er Sheva and the area north of route 211. 

Which airlines are still flying to Israel?

EasyJet 

EasyJet has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv until Friday. 

The airline said: 'Due to the evolving situation in Israel, we have paused our flight operations to and from Tel Aviv until the 13th of October.

'We will be contacting customers who are due to travel to and from Tel Aviv on these dates, by email and SMS with the details provided at the time of booking and check in.

'Any easyJet flight-only customers whose flights have been cancelled, will be able to request a voucher for the full value of their flight, a refund or transfer their flights free of charge for future travel.

'If you're an easyJet holidays customer due to travel up to the 21st of October, we're offering the option to change your destination with no change fee or cancel your holiday and receive the full holiday cost back as easyJet holidays credit, to book an alternative holiday at a later date.' 

Ryanair

A Ryanair statement addressing flight cancellations to and from Tel Aviv aiport states: 'We have regrettably been forced to cancel flights to/from Tel Aviv airport between Monday 9 – Wednesday 11 Oct due to operational restrictions beyond Ryanair's control. 

'Affected passengers will be notified of their options to either change flight or to receive a full refund by email/SMS.'

Ryanair said it apologises for these unavoidable cancellations and advises customers to check its app for updates.

British Airways

A British Airways statement said: 'We are closely monitoring the situation in Israel and our flights are currently continuing to operate.

'If you are due to travel with us to or from Tel Aviv on a flight up to and including 22 October 2023 but no longer wish to travel, you can change your travel dates free of charge.'

It continues: 'Please contact our team on 0800 727 800, or if you are calling from outside of the UK, please call +44 203 2500145. If you have booked with a travel agent or third party, please contact them directly.

'We're keeping this situation under review and will update this page if anything changes.'

Virgin Atlantic 

Advice from the airline reads: 'Due to the ongoing situation in Israel, some of our flights to and from Tel Aviv may face delays or cancellations. We would advise anyone booked to travel to check their flight status on the website before travelling to the airport.' 

WizzAir 

WizzAir said that all journeys to Tel Aviv between Monday and today had been cancelled. Affected passengers would be notified via SMS or email.

A statement on its website added: 'Further updates regarding flights to/from Israel beyond 10 October will be issued in due course. If you are to travel on Israel flights in the next days please proactively check Flight Info for the latest updates on your departure.' 

Can I get a refund for my cancelled Israel holiday?

Customers who have booked to travel to Israel and are due to go there imminently can cancel free of charge and receive a full refund based on advice from the Foreign Office. 

This applies equally to customers of British Airways Holidays and easyJet Holidays. 

However, your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.