A British grandfather is considering fleeing Jerusalem by bus through the Negev desert to escape Iranian missile fire.
James Eden, 72, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, arrived in Israel last Monday for a six-day Christian pilgrimage. He is now stranded in a near-deserted city as missiles fly overhead and outbound flights are suspended.
The Foreign Office has updated its guidance to advise against all travel to Israel, warning that the situation could “deteriorate further, quickly and without warning”.
Mr Eden told the PA news agency: “They (the FCDO) rang me and said there wasn’t a lot they could do.
“They can’t put on any planes because the airspace is shut – all they can do is send out alerts and keep track of us.”
When the grandfather-of-four asked about crossing the border, officials told him he could travel to Egypt at his own risk.
“They said if I care to, I can” he said.
“They’re not going to stop me – but they’re not going to help me get out of Egypt either.”
The journey would mean a four-hour bus ride through the Negev desert to Eilat, before crossing into Egypt and trying to fly home from Sharm El Sheikh.
Temperatures in the region are expected to reach up to 35C this week.
“I’ve done that route before, 20 years ago, so I know it,” Mr Eden said.
“But once you step into Egypt, who knows what happens then? It’s a risk.”
Mr Eden, a retired accountant, had been travelling with friend Miki Mogyorossy, 49, from London, and spent the early part of the trip visiting religious sites.
But on their third night, they were jolted awake by sirens warning of incoming missiles, forcing them to shelter in a stairwell.
Since then, he said, Jerusalem has felt “like a ghost town”.
Now relocated to a hotel near the Old City walls, Mr Eden said the embassy has kept in touch but can offer little more than updates.
“They said, ‘We’ve got your name, we know you’re there – keep us updated’. But there’s not much else,” he said.
“I’ve got two weeks of medication with me. I was enjoying myself, but now I just want to go home.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We’re in contact with a British man in Israel.
“The situation is fast-moving, and we urge British nationals in the region to monitor updates to FCDO Travel Advice.
“We stand ready to support British nationals 24/7.”
