Israel-Palestine conflict: More than 200 Malayalis stranded in Bethlehem, reports say

Kozhikode: As per reports, over 200 malayalis are stranded in a hotel in Israel. They are currently safe. Joy, a part of a pilgrim group from Mumbai said that they heard the sirens while attending mass and were asked to retreat back to their hotel in Bethlehem. As per their itinerary, the group was supposed to travel to Egypt on Monday. 

 Another  45-member pilgrimage group from Kochi is reportedly stranded in a hotel in conflict-torn Palestine. As per the latest information, they are staying in a hotel in Bethlehem and have received permission to cross the border.

On October 3, the group left Kerala for a ten-day pilgrimage. After visiting Amman, Jordan, they paid a visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque before departing for Egypt via Taba. 

On Saturday, they left the hotel and travelled almost 70 kilometres to cross the border to Egypt. However, they were asked to return to the hotel after all the roads were closed.

Meanwhile, the Indian Ambassador to Israel and the Chief Minister of Kerala have been apprised of the situation. At the moment, they are safe. 

The group led by C.A. Maulavi from Ernakulam left Kerala to visit Jordan, Israel, Palestine and Egypt. Tour operator Nazir is also with the group. In addition, another pilgrim group of 38 persons is reported to be stranded in Bethlehem.