Khaberni - The Israeli newspaper "The Marker" stated that the majority of Israelis who traveled abroad during March, amid the second Iran war, departed through Egyptian airports.
The Hebrew newspaper added that data published by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics shows that 167,000 Israelis left Israel during March, a decrease of about 75% compared to March 2025.
It mentioned that due to restrictions imposed on Ben Gurion Airport during the war, about 59% of Israelis traveled abroad through neighboring countries.
The newspaper pointed out that, unsurprisingly, there was a decline of about 91% in the entry of tourists and visitors to Israel.
This data comes amid ongoing regional tensions and the escalating confrontation between Israel and Iran, which has directly affected air traffic to and from Israel.
The Israeli authorities imposed strict restrictions on the operation of Ben Gurion International Airport, the country's main airport, due to security concerns. As a result, many Israelis looking to travel used land crossings to Egypt and Jordan to reach those countries' airports and from there to their final destinations.
The sharp decrease in incoming tourist traffic to Israel reflects the economic impact of the war on the tourism sector, which is an important source of national income, at a time when the Israeli government is trying to mitigate the economic damages resulting from the ongoing tense security situation.
In a previous report, the same newspaper mentioned that the Egyptian Taba Airport had become the main station for traveling abroad for those wishing to leave Israel urgently.
The Hebrew newspaper explained that this comes in the context of the restrictions imposed on Ben Gurion Airport due to security tensions and the recent Iranian missile attacks, making the Egyptian airport a "major escape gateway."
The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" attacked Egypt after Cairo's recent decision to raise the crossing fees at the Taba border crossing from 60 dollars to 120 dollars.
"Haaretz" said the fees on the Egyptian side of the Taba crossing jumped in just a few months from 15 to 120 dollars per person, while flights from Aqaba are disrupted again, making leaving Israel more expensive, complicated, and precarious.
The newspaper added that $120 is the amount that shocked those who planned to cross to Sinai on their way to a connecting flight or to spend a holiday abroad during the latest Iranian war, and this is the price of the new crossing fees on the Egyptian side of the Taba crossing. It pointed out that this represents a sharp increase compared to the $60 that was only set last week, and a jump of 757% compared to the $14 required for crossing between Israel and Egypt only last December.
