The ongoing evacuation of Polish citizens from Israel continues, aided by the establishment of an air bridge that accelerates movement away from the danger zone. Aircraft crews operating Hercules and CASA military transports are conducting flights from Israel to Crete, a measure announced by the Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak. This operational approach aims to streamline departures and increase the tempo of repatriation as security conditions evolve.
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The evacuation effort remained in full swing as the air bridge expanded. Polish units on the ground and in the air are coordinating to evacuate citizens efficiently, leveraging the capabilities of military aircraft to transport people from Israel to Crete before onward movement to Poland. The arrangement, described by the defense ministry leadership, emphasizes speed and safety for those fleeing the conflict zone.
– Błaszczak tweeted about the initiative, confirming the deployment of additional assets to support the evacuation operations.
Organization of evacuation
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, Israeli cities in the south have faced infiltrations by Hamas fighters, and the country has endured thousands of rocket attacks. In response, the Israeli army has announced large-scale airstrikes targeting locations believed to harbor militants within the Palestinian Authority, with continued air operations over the Gaza Strip during the night regime. These developments have necessitated rapid, organized evacuation for Polish citizens and others seeking safe passage from the region.
According to statements from the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 1,000 Polish citizens may seek to leave Israel. The evacuation plan involves two-track operations that run parallel to Tel-Aviv’s standard flights to Warsaw. In addition to direct flights from Tel-Aviv to Poland, three aircraft are designated to fly from Tel-Aviv to Chania in Crete and then onward to Poland, forming a multi-leg pathway intended to expand capacity and minimize delays for travelers.
As of yesterday evening, authorities reported the successful evacuation of more than 251 people from Ben Gurion Airport. Those travelers arrived in Warsaw this morning aboard three aircraft: a Boeing 737 and two C-130 Hercules transports. The figures illustrate the ongoing throughput and the commitments of the coordinating bodies to move the evacuees as quickly and safely as possible under the evolving security situation, as explained during a recent briefing.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an operational center to manage communications and reports related to evacuation efforts and to provide timely information to those affected. To support inquiries and coordination, a dedicated reporting point has been set up. Please note that contact details previously published for hotlines and email channels are no longer used here and are not included in the ongoing communications. This change reflects a move toward streamlined, centralized guidance for evacuees and cooperating organizations.
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— Operation Neon. Another Hercules is en route to Israel. The defense minister has noted that the fourth military aircraft with Polish passengers arrived in the capital.
– The defense minister remarked that internal tensions in Israel, similar to those in Poland, have intensified during the crisis and that political shifts have occurred as a result of the instability and the strain it places on civil life.
– The fourth aircraft carrying Poles evacuated from Israel landed in Okęcie, with another Hercules aircraft heading toward Tel Aviv as part of the ongoing evacuation operations.
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All information in this report reflects official statements from government offices and the leadership of national defense and foreign affairs ministries as they coordinate the evacuation efforts and communicate with Polish citizens abroad.