Repatriation flights get underway for Israeli citizens stranded abroad

Israel has launched a phased airlift operation to bring home its citizens with the first flight touching down in Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning.

Tens of thousands of them have been stranded in countries abroad since Israel launched its pre-dawn attack on Iran last Friday, closing airspace across the Middle East.

Large numbers of Israelis trying to get home have converged on Cyprus, which is the European Union member state that is the nearest to Israel.

The first flight to land in Israel carried passengers from the Mediterranean island’s city of Larnaca, a 50-minute flight away.

Initially, 2,400 passengers aboard Israel-bound flights were stranded on the island after their aircrafts were abruptly diverted last week.

But Cyprus’ chief rabbi, Arie Zeev Raskin, said that since then, more have arrived from Hungary, Rome, Georgia, and New York.

“All people who are on the way ended up here with the hope that since Larnaca and Paphos are the closest neighbour of Israel, once the flights will begin, that will be the first shuttle to go,” he said.

Yossi Levitan said he was eager to rejoin his eight children and one grandchild in Ramla, 30 kilometres south of Tel Aviv.

“We are waiting for the moment when we can return. In the meantime, we are helping in any way we can the people who are stuck here in Larnaca," he said.

Repatriation flights are reportedly also scheduled from Athens, Rome, Milan, Paris, Budapest, and London.