MOFA issues travel warning for Israel
2023/10/16
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oct. 12 upgraded its travel alert for Israel to orange, the second-highest level indicating that unnecessary travel should be avoided, as the latest armed conflict between the country and Hamas continues to escalate.
The travel warning for the Gaza Strip and West Bank in Palestine remains at the highest-level red alert, the MOFA said, adding that Taiwan nationals should not travel to those destinations or should leave as soon as possible.
Since an attack on Israeli civilians by the Palestinian militant group Oct. 7, the MOFA has helped over 100 ROC (Taiwan) citizens leave Israel, the ministry said. It is also maintaining close contact with entrepreneurs and expatriates from Taiwan and stands ready to offer any necessary assistance, it added.
According to the MOFA, there are currently no plans to dispatch charter flights to evacuate citizens since the conflict is centered on the Gaza Strip and people in other regions can still travel to Jordan by land.
The ministry will remain in close communication with its Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv and the Israeli government to ensure the safety of its people, the MOFA said, adding that Taiwan nationals are advised to contact TECO in Tel Aviv if they experience an emergency when visiting Israel.
The MOFA uses a four-tier travel alert system. The lowest level, grey, suggests caution should be exercised; the second-lowest, yellow, implies travel should be reconsidered and passengers should pay attention to safety when traveling; and orange and red recommend against some or all travel.
Source: Noticias de Taiwan (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)