Tens of thousands of Israelis stranded abroad have returned home through land crossings in Egypt and Jordan, sidestepping official warnings and exposing deep frustration with the country’s patchy repatriation response. More than half of those returning after the Iran conflict began chose the desert roads over delayed flights.
When flights were grounded and skies closed after Israel’s military strike on Iran, panic spread quickly among citizens scattered abroad. People were stranded from Berlin to Bangkok, many of them tourists and students, all looking for a route home. The government urged them not to head for the borders in Jordan or Egypt. But a huge number did exactly that.
In just eight days, more than 71,000 Israelis made it back into the country — and over 39,000 of them crossed by land through neighboring Arab states, despite the National Security Council labeling both countries under “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisories. It’s a striking statistic that tells a lot about people’s desperation, and their lack of faith in official channels.
‘We Couldn’t Wait Forever’: Citizens Took Risks As Flights Vanished
The warnings were clear. The NSC said travel through Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula or Jordan was prohibited. Yet those borders stayed open. And as the conflict raged and Israel’s airports remained shuttered, many Israelis decided to take their chances.
Some flew into Sharm el-Sheikh or Amman. Others crossed from Dubai or Doha and navigated the chaotic overland options. The journey was not simple — and in many cases, it wasn’t exactly safe. But staying put was worse.
“I landed in Cairo and took a taxi through the desert to Taba,” said Matan Levi, a 29-year-old backpacker from Tel Aviv who had been hiking in Nepal when the strike on Iran occurred. “We were scared, of course. But we couldn’t wait forever for a rescue flight that might never come.”
That sentiment was echoed by many travelers returning through the southern crossing in Eilat, known officially as the Menachem Begin Crossing. It became one of the busiest and most photographed points of entry since the crisis began.
Egypt’s Taba Border: From Tourism Hub to Lifeline
Nearly 20,000 people came through the Taba crossing between June 13 and June 21, making it the busiest land entry point for Israeli citizens during this period. What was once a laid-back entry for Red Sea-bound vacationers is now a makeshift repatriation artery.
One reason for its popularity? Sharm el-Sheikh’s international airport. With Tel Aviv-bound flights halted, Israelis rerouted themselves through Europe or the Gulf and connected onward to Sharm, where they could then take the short desert drive north to the Israeli border.
• Some travelers booked last-minute charter flights from Athens and Bucharest into Sharm.
• Others coordinated van pools via WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
• A few relied on the goodwill of local Egyptians and informal drivers, sometimes paying over $400 for a single ride.
The border authorities worked around the clock. Israeli security was tight. But they didn’t stop the flow.
Repatriation Flights Fumbled, Prompting Border Rush
A lot of the frustration stems from what many citizens describe as a slow and confusing government response. While El Al and Arkia did begin special repatriation flights by June 18, those came five days after the airspace closure. And by then, many Israelis had already found their own way back.
Several families said they spent days in foreign airports waiting for clarity. One student group in Istanbul was initially told a plane would arrive “within 48 hours,” only to be rebooked three times before deciding to enter Jordan via Amman.
To put it into numbers:
| Route | Number of Returning Israelis (June 13–21) |
|---|---|
| Egypt + Jordan (land crossings) | 39,000+ |
| Air (repatriation or resumed flights) | 32,000+ |
| Total Returnees | 71,608 |
The population that came back via Egypt and Jordan includes solo travelers, families with small children, and elderly citizens — many of whom weren’t willing to gamble on slow-moving consular help.
Official Travel Warnings Ignored, But Quietly Tolerated
So what happens when the public ignores government directives? In this case — very little. There were no mass arrests. No border closures. No official reprimands. Just an awkward silence from authorities who issued strict warnings, but didn’t enforce them.
Officials were quick to reiterate that the security situation remained fluid. Egypt and Jordan, while technically maintaining peace with Israel, have seen surges in anti-Israel protests since the airstrikes began. But for those making the crossing, it didn’t seem to matter.
And Israel itself didn’t close the borders — perhaps acknowledging that doing so would trap tens of thousands outside with no way home.
“It’s bizarre,” said a senior official in the Immigration Authority who requested anonymity. “The government said ‘don’t do it,’ but we all knew people would come anyway. It was either this or chaos.”
Who Crossed, And Why It Matters
Beyond the numbers, this episode reflects a broader truth about how modern conflicts affect mobility, risk tolerance, and public trust. Those who came through Jordan and Egypt weren’t reckless tourists — they were ordinary citizens navigating a mess that official channels struggled to manage.
There was a wide mix of returnees:
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Ultra-Orthodox families returning from Eastern Europe pilgrimages
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Tech workers and digital nomads caught in Asia
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Students in Italy, Greece, and Germany left stranded after El Al cancellations
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Israelis with dual citizenship rerouting via Istanbul or Dubai
Some even had to bribe their way onto chartered minibuses in Amman after their travel agent ghosted them. Others described surreal desert crossings that felt straight out of a spy movie.
One traveler posted on X: “Landed in Cairo, six hours by taxi to Taba, crossed in 15 minutes, hugged my mom in Eilat — never thought I’d cry at a border crossing.”
Lessons, Reactions, and What Comes Next
The Interior Ministry has said little publicly, but sources confirmed that an internal review is underway. There’s pressure mounting on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office to establish a faster, more coherent emergency repatriation protocol.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry has acknowledged that land border crossings “played a significant role in return logistics.”
The Taba and Jordan Valley crossings continue to function without interruption. Some believe this event could redefine how Israel’s emergency planning integrates neighboring nations — even when political relations remain tense.
