The Occupied Palestinian Territories
Warnings and insurance
This travel advice covers Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs).
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
FCDO聽currently聽advises against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
If you are already in Israel and the the Occupied Palestinian Territories follow local authorities鈥� advice.
Register your presence
Let the UK government know you鈥檙e in Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories, register your presence if you鈥檙e聽聽for further updates.
The UK is preparing a flight to transport British nationals and their dependants out of Israel and the OPTs.
The UK government has launched a flight registration form for British nationals to register their details and interest in the flight.
Further flights will be considered depending on demand, and the latest security situation.
The Foreign Office has invited British Nationals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) to register their interest in a flight to help them depart.
All British Nationals who have already registered via the portal will automatically be contacted and provided with a link to the booking portal. The FCDO is urging all those interested in flights back to the UK to register their presence now, if not done so already, so that they can receive details.
Those with greatest need will be prioritised for flights. British nationals plus their non-British immediate family members travelling with them are eligible. All passengers must hold a valid travel document. Non-British immediate family members will require valid visas/permission to enter or remain that was granted for more than six months.
The FCDO will contact those who are allocated a seat on the flight directly and British Nationals should not make their way to the airport unless they are contacted.
Risks of regional escalation聽
Following Israeli strikes against targets in Iran, Iran launched multiple rounds of missile and drone attacks against Israel. On 23 June Iran launched military strikes against a US military base in Qatar.聽Iran aligned militia groups are also likely to continue to conduct attacks. On 24 June a ceasefire began. This is a fast-moving and fragile situation with the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning.
Israel has lifted the nationwide state of emergency and reopened its airspace. Ben-Gurion Airport and Haifa Airport are restarting operations. The current situation has disrupted air links out of the country and may disrupt road links and border crossings. It may take time for airports to return to normal levels of operation and flight availability. We encourage you to read the FCDO鈥檚 advice on if you鈥檙e affected by a crisis abroad.
Family members of staff at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate in Jerusalem have been temporarily withdrawn as a precautionary measure.
The Embassy and Consulate continues with essential work including services to British nationals.
Any attacks could be indiscriminate, including places visited by foreign nationals such as:聽
- The Old City in Jerusalem聽
- Government, military and police installations聽
- Security personnel including military and police
- Transport networks
- Businesses with western interests
- Crowded places
Check local information
You should check for the latest guidance (available in Israel only) and follow instructions from the Israeli government. Restrictions may be put in place at short notice.
If you are in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and not have access to Home Front Command continue to follow local instructions including from Palestinian Civil Defence (Call 102, or see or ).
Recent hostilities led to聽falling fragments or debris. If you encounter any projectile debris or fragments you should move away from them immediately and contact local authorities.
International land border crossings to Jordan and Egypt are open. Timings may change, or they may close, at no notice, including over the weekend. More information is available on the . Before you travel check the travel advice for any neighbouring country that you are planning to travel to or through. Commercial transport services to border crossings (eg taxis and bus transport) are operating, subject to safety alerts. Commercial flights continue to operate from airports in the region to various destinations, including the UK.
Jordan-Israel border crossings (opening times are subject to change):
- Allenby/King Hussein聽Bridge
- The Northern (Jordan River/Sheikh Hussein) crossing
- The Southern (Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba) crossing
Egypt-Israel border crossing (opening times are subject to change):
- Taba: Open 24 hours
Leaving Israel/OPTs at Taba
The UK government have a聽consular team located on the Egypt side of the border. If you are a British national and need assistance, you can visit them at the reception area of the Steigenberger Hotel (Nuweibaa - Taba Rd, Taba, South Sinai Governorate 46621). This is adjacent to the border crossing. There is no requirement to do so if you do not need help.聽You can also contact the British Embassy Cairo on +20 2 2791 6000.聽
When you cross the border from Israel to Egypt at Taba, you will have to pay a 鈥楽inai Tax鈥� of 720 Egyptian Pounds per person (not applicable to children 24 months old or younger). This is payable at the Taba Border Crossing in Egyptian Pounds (cash only). There is a bank and ATMs dispensing Egyptian Pounds available at聽the border and in hotels on the Egyptian side.聽The 鈥楽inai Tax鈥� exempts you from requiring an entry visa for Egypt for up to 15 days,聽as long as you stay within the Sinai Peninsula. If your stay in Sinai will exceed聽15 days,聽or you are planning to leave the Sinai聽Peninsula, including to fly on from mainland airports e.g. Cairo or Hurghada, you will聽need聽an entry visa. This costs聽USD25 and can be purchased聽at the Taba Border Crossing on entry, or聽from the immigration office in Sharm El Sheikh.
If you are in Israel and the OPTs
Keep up to date through local media and follow the instructions of Israeli Home Front Command. To find these:
-
visit the (available in Israel only)
-
call 104 if you are in Israel
Before travelling within Israel or the OPTs, check the local measures in place, that roads are open and, where appropriate, that scheduled train and bus services are operating.
Monitor this travel advice and other media as the situation is changing fast.
Travel within or out of Israel or the OPTs is at your own risk. You are encouraged to follow the advice of local authorities, for example on which routes are open or when to take shelter.
Leaving Gaza
Border crossings out of Gaza have been closed to civilians and general traffic since the Israeli military took control of the Rafah crossing on 6 May 2024. Consular support is not available from within Gaza. If you are a British national in Gaza who wants to leave Gaza, you should make contact with us as soon as possible. There are currently no exit routes available for foreign nationals to depart Gaza independently. We are working with the Israeli, Palestinian and other authorities in the region to help British nationals leave via safe routes.
If you are a UK visa holder who meets all of the following criteria, you can contact us to request support to leave Gaza if:
-
you have a spouse/partner or a child aged 17 or under currently living in the UK, and
-
you hold valid permission to enter or remain in the UK for longer than 6 months
Help and support in Israel and the OPTs
Contact your travel provider and insurer
Contact your travel provider and your insurer. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.
Help from FCDO
British nationals requiring urgent consular assistance can contact us 24/7 365 days a year by telephone or by using the online consular enquiry form
Consular support is severely limited where FCDO advises against travel.
If you need consular assistance call:
- +44 176 766 7600 (UK number)
- +972 (0)3 725 1222
- +972 (0)2 541 4100
Help from other organisations聽
Keep up to date with local travel advice through local news outlets and international outlets like the .
Concern for friends and family
If you are in the UK and concerned about a friend or family member who is in Israel or the OPTs call FCDO on 020 7008 5000.聽
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you:
- women travellers
- disabled travellers
- LGBT+ travellers
- solo and independent travel
- volunteering and adventure travel
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice聽
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
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