The Moldovan ambassador to Israel announces that two airlines, IsrAir and Arkia, will operate flights from Tel Aviv to Chisinau every week starting November 1. Ambassador Alexandru Roitman says that in order to facilitate the return of Moldovan citizens, a direct helpline was also launched to assist with buying tickets.
The first flights will be operated by IsrAir on November 1 (Wednesday) and November 5 (Sunday). Arkia will operate its first two flights on November 2 (Thursday) and November 5 (Sunday). Additional information on airline tickets can be obtained at 0525413413 or + 972-5413413 (from outside Israel).
“We have agreed that there will be two flights each week from both airlines, and if the demand increases, they are ready to supplement this schedule with one more flight a week. The ticket prices for these flights are lower, they are even lower than the pre-war prices, but of course if the demand is very high, the prices will vary. In addition, our citizens have a direct telephone number, dedicated only to our citizens, they can call and very easily purchase a ticket from here, from Israel, or from Moldova they can pay online. We tried to offer as many options as possible for our citizens who want to go home to Moldova”, said Ambassador Roitman in an interview with Radio Moldova.
According to the ambassador, there are Moldovan citizens in the Gaza Strip who have requested evacuation, but the international actors have not been yet able to obtain the opening of the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt.
“The situation in the Gaza Strip remains difficult. We are in permanent contact with the group of Moldovan citizens who requested our support with evacuation. At the same time, we are in contact with the authorities of the following countries: Egypt, USA, Israel, Romania and Ukraine and other international subjects who have the possibility to influence the decision to open the Rafah border crossing. To this day the Rafah crossing has not been opened for the evacuation of any foreign nationals, no country has achieved this, although efforts are constantly being made and we are part of these efforts. Only 84 trucks of humanitarian aid were brought into the Gaza Strip. We continue to maintain contact with our citizens and make an effort to open this crossing point, which is the only possible way for our citizens from the Gaza Strip to be evacuated”, said Ambassador Roitman.
According to the ambassador, about 13,000 Moldovans worked legally in Israel before the outbreak of the war. According to official data, around 2,000 Moldovans have left Israel since.
