First Britons evacuated from Israel amid conflict

Following what a passenger described as a “long and intense journey,” on June 24th the first group of Britons evacuated from Israel landed safely in the UK, according to the BBC.

A Royal Air Force (RAF) A400 military aircraft carrying 63 British nationals and their relatives departed from Ben Gurion Airport and arrived in Birmingham in the early hours of the morning on June 24th.

The evacuation follows Israel’s recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and subsequent Iranian retaliation, which led to the closure of Israeli airspace and left thousands of Britons stranded in the country.

Among the evacuees was Max Redford, who had accompanied his elderly parents back to the UK. While expressing gratitude for the personnel on the ground, he criticised the wider evacuation effort as “shambolic,” accusing the British government of poor organisation and a lack of commitment.

“There are thousands of people—and 63 on one flight, maybe once a day, is nowhere near enough,” he told reporters. He also denounced the the decision to land in Birmingham, suggesting it was chosen for cost-saving reasons over convenience.

Downing Street has confirmed that approximately 1,000 people have requested evacuation flights—25% of the 4,000 Britons who have registered with the Foreign Office their presence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Foreign Office announced on June 23rd that further flights would depend on security conditions and passenger demand.

Despite the logistical issues, Redford described a strong sense of solidarity among passengers, noting that those on board sang both the Israeli national anthem and God Save the Queen during the flight.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump claimed on June 24th that a ceasefire was being established, but missile exchanges between Iran and Israel continued. Four people were reportedly killed in Israel, while casualty numbers in Iran remain unconfirmed.

BBC