“Avoid travel to Muslim countries…,” Israel issues advisory for citizens

Tel Aviv [Israel]: Israel on Saturday updated its travel advisory for its citizens to not travel to Muslim countries, security concerns amidst the Israel-Hamas war.

“Avoid travel to Muslim countries for which travel alerts have been issued, including Malaysia, Bangladesh and Indonesia, as well as Muslim countries with no travel alert, such as the Maldives,” a statement from Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office read
It stated that until further notice to avoid travel to any Middle Eastern or Arab countries, including Turkiye, Egypt (and Sinai), Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.”

Israel said that its citizens in foreign countries are not safe and security alert for Egypt, Jordan and Morocco has been raised.

Israel PMO posted on X, “Joint statement from the National Security Council in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israelis abroad are under threat — the level of the travel alerts to Egypt (including Sinai), Jordan and Morocco has been raised.”

Israel’s National Security Council issued new warnings on Wednesday against citizens travelling to Arab countries, singling out Turkey as the greatest threat.

The warning against travelling to Turkey is now at level 4, the highest threat level.

“All Israelis in Turkey are called upon to leave immediately,” the NSC said.

Meanwhile, in a major development today, the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened to let aid into the territory for the first time since the deadly Hamas onslaught on October 7, The Times of Israel reported.

Over 200 trucks carrying roughly 3,000 tons of aid, which had been positioned near the crossing for days, began heading into Gaza. Egyptian state television showed several trucks entering the gate.

As per The Times of Israel, foreign nationals are expected to leave Gaza, and the US Embassy in Jerusalem has warned of a “potentially chaotic and disorderly environment on both sides of the crossing.”

Earlier, after the explosion at a hospital in the Gaza Strip that killed hundreds of people, protests and skirmishes broke out in the West Bank, Lebanon and Jordan, The Times of Israel reported on Wednesday.

According to daily, hundreds of protesters took to the streets to protest the explosion all across the West Bank. To control the crowd, the Palestinian forces in Ramallah fired tear gas at demonstrators who were calling for the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to step down.

The protesters are seeking the resignation of President Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, over his conciliatory tone since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began earlier this month, The Times of Israel reported.