Swiss travel agencies cancel trips to Israel

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Swiss travel agencies on Monday began canceling trips to Israel due to the ongoing tension in the region.

This came after the Swiss Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning earlier in the day.

"It is not recommended to travel to Israel for tourist trips and any other travel that is not of an emergency nature," the ministry said in a statement.

Speaking to Swiss news agency AWP on Monday, a spokeswoman of Hotelplan Suisse said that her company is in contact with customers who are in Israel, adding that they all are in good health and that the company is working to arrange their expedited return.

Tui Suisse also said that it is in contact with its customers to arrange their return from Israel.

Meanwhile, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said that a special flight will be operated on Tuesday for the withdrawal of Swiss nationals on the ground.

Swiss on Saturday canceled all its flights to and from Israel up to and including Monday, according to the airline's website.

Currently, around 28,000 Swiss nationals and their families are officially registered in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, where they live and reside, the ministry said.

The ministry's helpline received around 500 calls regarding the situation in Israel, it added.

The Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 508 Palestinians and wounding 2,800 others, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

At least 800 Israelis have been killed and over 2,300 others wounded in the fighting, according to media reports and the Israeli Health Ministry.