Dozens of Israelis Stranded in Ethiopia Amid Resumed Fighting

Approximately twenty Israelis, along with thirty other foreign nationals, are trapped in Lalibela, a city in Ethiopia's northern Amhara region, as renewed fighting raises fears of a new civil war. According to Israelis on the ground, the airport in Lalibela is deserted, with no flights operating, and the road to the capital, Addis Ababa, is deemed too dangerous due to combat, armed militias, bandits, and disorganized checkpoints. "There are no flights, the roads are dangerous; we need to be rescued," they stated, as reported by Kan News on Sunday.

While the situation within Lalibela remains relatively calm, allowing residents to move, eat, and sleep safely despite power outages and dwindling cash reserves, explosions and gunfire are frequently heard on the city's outskirts. The stranded group includes several elderly individuals who may require medical attention or medication if their confinement continues. They are in contact with the Israeli Embassy, the Foreign Ministry, and their insurance companies, but no secure evacuation plan has been finalized.

The trapped Israelis are urging the Israeli government to act swiftly to organize an evacuation corridor, either by air or land, expressing concern that they might not be rescued before the situation deteriorates and the city becomes isolated. The Israeli Foreign Ministry acknowledged it is closely monitoring the situation of Israelis in deteriorating security zones in Ethiopia and is exploring withdrawal options with local authorities, depending on the evolving security conditions.

This escalation follows an alliance formed by seven armed groups aiming to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. In the Amhara region, the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Fano militia are coordinating their actions. These clashes erupted after the rupture of the Pretoria agreement signed in November 2022, which had ended the previous two-year Tigray civil war that caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and widespread famine.

Fighting has led to Tigrayan forces seizing control of Mekele's airport and other regional aviation infrastructure, causing Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to these areas. The interruption of flights to Lalibela is attributed to the expanding conflict. Reports also indicate another group of about twenty Israelis, who departed from the Tigray region the previous day, may be stranded en route, with their exact location and condition unknown.