Virgin Atlantic to Resume Flights to Israel After Suspension Due to Conflict with Hamas
Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will resume flights between London Heathrow and Israel on September 5th. The airline had suspended these flights at the beginning of the conflict with Hamas, but has now decided to resume services with a daily flight in each direction.
Many carriers had suspended flights to Israel in October last year after Hamas militants crossed the border with Gaza, sparking an eight-month war. However, Wizz Air resumed operations in March and British Airways followed suit in April. EasyJet, on the other hand, has extended its suspension of flights to Israel until at least late October.
In addition to resuming flights, Virgin Atlantic has also announced a new codeshare partnership with Israel’s national airline, El Al. This partnership is aimed at making it easier for customers of both airlines to travel.
Juha Jarvinen, chief commercial officer of Virgin Atlantic, stated, “Our return to Tel Aviv on September 5th will be welcome news for customers who have enjoyed our service since 2019. This time, it will be strengthened by our new codeshare partnership with El Al.”
Anti-government Protests in Tel Aviv
The decision to resume flights comes after tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv over the weekend to call for the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the immediate release of hostages. Approximately 120,000 people took to the streets to demand that the governing coalition accept a ceasefire deal proposed by US President Joe Biden on Friday. This was believed to be the largest demonstration against Mr. Netanyahu’s government.
The proposed ceasefire deal would involve the gradual release of hostages captured during Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel, in exchange for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Israel Expands Offensive in Southern Gaza City
Meanwhile, Israel is expanding its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah amid growing criticism over the high number of civilian casualties and destruction caused by the nearly eight-month war with Hamas.
Maldives Bans Entry of Israelis
In other news, the Maldives has announced that it will ban the entry of Israelis due to public anger in the predominantly Muslim archipelago over the war in Gaza. This decision comes amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
