First RAF Evacuation Flight from Tel Aviv Lands in UK

Passenger Max Radford accompanied his elderly parents on the first British evacuation flight. \"It's been a pretty long and intense day\", he said just moments after landing back in the UK on the RAF A400 military aircraft. Mr Radford emphasised that while he was \"really thankful\" to the RAF and Foreign Office staff, the evacuation plan was \"shambolic every step of the way\". He accused the UK government of seemingly \"making it up as they go along\", saying that more needs to be done to get British citizens out of Israel. \"There are thousands of people - and 63 people on one flight, maybe once a day, is nowhere near enough,\" he said.

Downing Street said that around 1,000 people had asked for a seat on an evacuation flight – a quarter of the 4,000 who have registered their presence in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Foreign Office. On Monday, the Foreign Office said further evacuation flights would be based on demand and the security situation. British nationals still in Israel have been urged to register their presence with the UK government.

Mr Radford, who paid £1,050 for three tickets, also said it was \"ridiculous\" that the plane had landed in Birmingham, accusing the Foreign Office of choosing the destination because it would be cheaper than landing in London. The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.

Recalling a moment of positivity during the flight, however, Mr Radford he said he would \"never forget\" how passengers started singing the Israeli national anthem and God Save the King on the plane. \"It just shows the togetherness and the spirit of the Jewish people of the UK,\" he said.

On Tuesday morning, US President Donald Trump said a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was \"now in effect\". In a statement, the Israeli government said the country had agreed to Trump's proposal but would \"respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire.\" Israel and Iran exchanged heavy fire before the ceasefire was confirmed. The Israeli ambulance service said four people were killed, and 22 wounded, as a result of Iranian strikes overnight. Tehran also faced a barrage of intense attacks, although the number of casualties is not yet clear.

According to the source: BBC.