Airlines cancel flights to Israel amid escalating armed conflict

This article is more than 12 months old

Jul 23, 2014 07:54 am

Air carriers in the United States and Europe cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Israel after warnings from their respective governmental agencies admit and escalating conflict between Israel and the Hamas-led Gaza.

US carriers including Delta Air Lines, the American Airlines Group and United Airlines were the first to announce cancellations. European carriers like Air France and Germany's Lufthansa soon followed.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned American carriers from flying to or from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv for up to 24 hours.

This ban comes after a rocket strike launched by Gaza that landed near the airport.

Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, decried the ban and called for airlines to resume flights to Israel.

A statement from the transportation minister Yisrael Katz said: "There is no need for US carriers to suspend flights and reward terrorism."