Frequently asked questions about the situation in Israel / Palestinian Territories

On 7 October, Hamas staged attacks in Israel from Gaza. In addition to regular rocket attacks, Hamas and the Israeli army are now engaged in fighting in and around Gaza. This has major consequences for the security situation of the residents in Gaza. There may be demonstrations in the West Bank and violence between different population groups may occur. After the rocket and drone attack on Israel by Iran on 14 April 2024 the situation in the entire region has become worse. There is a chance of further escalation of the conflict.

The travel advisory for Israel and the Palestinian Territories has colour code red. It is too dangerous to travel to Israel or the Palestinian Territories. Regardless of your situation: do not go there. 

Are you in Israel? Leave the country if you are able to do so. The security situation in Israel is unpredictable and can change quickly. Please note that the options for leaving the country (by plane, land, sea) may decrease at any time. If you have not yet done so, we urge you to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service as soon as possible. Please read the Israel travel advice (information in Dutch) and read what this means for you.

Are you in the Palestinian Territories? The security situation is unstable. If you have not yet done so, we urge you to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service as soon as possible. We can then contact you if necessary. Also please read the Palestinian Territories travel advice (information in Dutch) for more information. 

We hope everyone is in a safe location and advise everyone to follow local news closely and follow the instructions of the local authorities.

Please register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service if you have not already done so. That will enable us to contact you if necessary.

Ben Gurion Airport is open. The choice to stay or leave is your own responsibility. Consider your options carefully. 

If you are in Israel on an organised trip, stay in contact with your tour operator. If you need help, contact your travel insurance company or the Dutch embassy on +31 247 247 247. We also recommend that you let family and friends know how you are doing.

You should regularly check this page and the travel advice for Israel (in Dutch) for updates.

If you are in the West Bank, you should leave if you can do so safely. Currently, flights to Amsterdam and other European cities are leaving from Tel Aviv, Eilat and Amman. You can also travel overland to Jordan. The opening times of the checkpoints and border crossings are unclear and unpredictable and can change at any moment. 

You can see the current opening times of the checkpoints on the Access Coordination Unit website.

You can see the current opening times of the border crossings here: 

• Allenby Bridge (King Hussein) crossing
•  Jordan River/Sheikh Hussein crossing
• Taba/Menahem Begin crossing
• Yitzhak Rabin/Arava crossing

Be aware that the situation is unpredictable and can change quickly.

We hope your family is in a safe location. It is important that your family registers with the Foreign Affairs Information Service (information in Dutch). If this has not yet been done, your family must register immediately. You can also register them.
You as well can act as a contact person for your family members.

If your family members are fully registered with the Foreign Affairs Information Service (information in Dutch), the Foreign Affairs will contact you if there is important new information.

• A travel advisory indicates the safety risks for Dutch people in a country based on research into the current situation.
• After the conflict between Hamas and Israel on 7 October 2023 the travel advisory has been changed multiple times. The region close to the Gaza Strip and Libanon were already coloured red, due to the major fighting in the region.
• After the drone and missile attacks by Iran on 14 April 2024 the travel advisory for Israel has been changed to colour red. The advisory to all Dutch nationals is: do not travel to Israel. The situation is unpredictable. Options to leave the country may decrease at any given time. The Dutch embassy may be unable to help you if you get into trouble. 
• A specialized department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains contacts with embassies worldwide for this purpose. The embassy investigates the security risks in the country. Sometimes areas are visited to assess the situation. Discussions take place with local authorities, intelligence services, companies, partner countries and other organizations.
• The Netherlands actively exchanges information with other countries and takes this into account when deciding whether or not to adjust a travel advisory.
• Would you like to know more about how a travel advisory is drawn up? You will find more information on the page How is a travel advisory made? (information in Dutch).

For the latest information, you are advised to follow local news and directions from local authorities. For more information and practical tips, visit https://www.oref.org.il.

The situation at the border can change quickly. Because of the security situation in Israel, the border crossings are or can be closed at any time for an unknown period of time. This applies to the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein crossing with the West Bank, the crossing with Israel at Aqaba/Eilat in the south, and the Jordan River crossing in the north of Jordan.

You can check the current opening times of the checkpoints on the Access Coordination Unit website. 

You can see the current opening times of the border crossings here: 

• Allenby Bridge/King Hussein crossing
• Jordan River/Sheikh Hussein crossing
• Yitzhak Rabin/Arava crossing

The choice to stay or leave is your own responsibility. Consider your options carefully. We recommend you check the travel advice for Jordan regularly. That is where you will find the most relevant and up-to-date information.  

No, the border between Lebanon and Israel is closed. It is not possible to travel to and from Lebanon by land.

You can see what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs work looks like via our live blog.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have comprehensive information regarding the number of Dutch nationals in the affected area, since Dutch nationals who travel abroad are not required to register with the ministry. We are calling on all Dutch nationals in Israel and the Palestinian Territories to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service if they have not yet done so. This will give us an overview of who is in the country and how we can reach them when necessary.

On 7 October, Dutch citizens in Gaza were caught off guard by the deteriorating security situation and the impossibility of leaving Gaza. The Netherlands is actively working to ensure that all Dutch nationals can cross the Rafah border into Egypt as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely monitoring developments on the ground and is in almost daily contact with Dutch nationals (and their core families) and persons with valid residence in the Netherlands. As soon as the border crossing opens for them, we will let them or their contacts know immediately.

People who crossed the border are received in Egypt and supported by a team from the Dutch embassy and the Ministry of Defense. They will receive medical assistance and psychological support as needed. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense also ensure transit to the Netherlands. For security reasons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not share further information at present.

The embassy is open for regular consular services. You can visit this page to see what the Dutch embassy in Tel Aviv can do for you.

You can also contact the NetherlandsWorldwide Contact Centre 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us on +31 247 247 247. You can also ask questions via WhatsApp by sending a message to +31 6 82 38 77 96.

VFS Global in Tel Aviv has reopened to the public. You can apply for a short-stay visa for the Netherlands through VFS Global. 

The Dutch embassy in Tel Aviv has reopened to the public on 6 November. To make an appointment to apply for an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV), use the Make an appointment online at the embassy in Tel Aviv

VFS Global in Ramallah will reopen to the public. From 22 April you can apply for a short-stay visa for the Netherlands through VFS Global. Prepare your documents and make an appointment online.

To make an appointment to apply for an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV), you can send an email to ram-ca@minbuza.nl.