The U.S. State Department revised its travel advisory to Israel on Wednesday, urging Americans to “reconsider travel” to the country amid its intensifying war with Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas — the militant group that rules over the Gaza territory — launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, killing hundreds of soldiers and civilians. Hamas is holding more than 150 people hostage, according to Israel.
Israel declared war in response, and at least 2,300 people on both sides have been killed, including 25 Americans.
Saturday’s attack put an abrupt stop to several flights from the U.S. to Israel. As violence continues to unfold between Israel and Hamas, the U.S. State Department has bumped its travel advisory to Israel up to “Level-3 Reconsider Travel.”
“Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza,” the advisory states. “Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities.”
“Violence can occur in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza without warning. There has been a marked increase in demonstrations throughout Israel, some with little or no warning,” the advisory continues.
Even before the war began, the State Department had warned Americans against traveling to Gaza and urged them to be cautious when traveling to Israel in general due to the threat of terrorism.
Now, the revised advisory lists Israel and the West Bank as places to reconsider traveling to due to “terrorism and civil unrest.” It warns Americans not to visit Gaza for the same reasons, along with “armed conflict.”
Israel’s military launched airstrikes in Gaza, which are likely only the start of its offensive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to bring on a larger retaliation that would “reverberate ... for generations.”
President Joe Biden pledged on Tuesday to continue supporting Israel in its defense.
Meanwhile, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai — without taking sides — called for an “immediate ceasefire” on Tuesday for the sake of children caught in the middle of the violence, echoing a similar statement released by UNICEF that same day.
The war follows the Israeli government’s ongoing and decadeslong apartheid against Palestinians. Biden appeared to allude to this in his remarks on Tuesday as he condemned Hamas and emphasized that the group is not reflective of the entire Palestinian cause.
“The brutality of Hamas... brings to mind the worst rampages of ISIS,” Biden said. “Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination ... Hamas offers nothing but terror and bloodshed, with no regard to who pays the price.”
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