The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has issued a directive to hotels to extend the stay of tourists who cannot leave, among them some 500 Israelis, due to the airspace closure across the country, Hebrew media reported on Sunday night.
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism wrote in a directive it will cover the costs for all hotel extensions. “The cost of the extended stay will be covered by DCT Abu Dhabi. Kindly send all related invoices” to the department’s email address, the directive obtained by Ynet read.
Iran’s missile and drone campaign in the Gulf has killed three people and wounded 58 in the United Arab Emirates, Emirati authorities said on March 1, the day after the United States and Israel launched a nationwide attack on Iran, killing its supreme leader.
Iran has reportedly launched hundreds of missiles into UAE territory since the war broke out on Saturday morning, prompting the Gulf state to close its airspace to civilian traffic.
An Israeli woman and her son were lightly injured on Sunday by a drone that hit a building in Abu Dhabi hosting Israeli envoys.
The report went on to say that the Israeli Tourism Ministry has shifted to emergency mode, providing accommodations for local residents evacuated from their homes due to missile hits and aiding tourists stranded in Israel to leave the country.
About 37,400 tourists are currently in Israel, according to Ynet. Some 700 have managed to leave since the start of the war.
Israel’s land border crossings remain open, though with varying schedules. According to Ynet, the Menachem Begin Crossing with Egypt at Taba is open 24/7; the Yitzhak Rabin Crossing in the Arava with Jordan is open from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; the Allenby Bridge terminal with Jordan is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tourist processing available until 2:30 p.m.; and the Jordan River Crossing near Beit She’an is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with arrivals permitted until 3:30 p.m.
Travelers are advised to pay border fees in advance to reduce waiting times.
