The ‘abandoned’ Brits trapped in Israel: Pressure on Foreign Office to evacuate UK nationals who say they are stranded in Middle East war zone while other countries rush to bring citizens home

By INDERDEEP BAINS and SABRINA MILLER

Published: 23:22 BST, 16 June 2025 | Updated: 23:27 BST, 16 June 2025

Britons trapped in Israel have accused the Foreign Office of abandoning them as Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia mount swift evacuation efforts to bring their citizens home.

Tens of thousands of UK nationals are believed to be stranded after Israel shut its airspace amid the escalating conflict with Iran.

While the Foreign Office has advised against all travel to the country, there are no plans to repatriate those already trapped in Israel.

Britons have been told instead to register their presence and stay near bomb shelters while other countries have ramped up efforts to arrange bus convoys and charter flights to rescue their citizens.

One terrified British teenager from London told the Mail he was told he was ‘basically on his own’ when he pleaded for assistance.

Miles Mackay, 19, who was visiting friends in Tel Aviv when the airstrikes began, is desperate to get home and is considering making a solo journey to the Jordanian border. 

‘There has been nothing. They basically told me I’m on my own but in a nicer way, I’m pretty young and I don’t have any ties to Israel other than my friends here so it’s scary.

‘Surely there’s a way to get us to Cyprus but it doesn’t look like they are even thinking about repatriating,’ the student added.

Pictured: Jonathan Gold, 51, with his daughter Maisie, 20, and son Daniel, 22. They were in Israel for a long weekend visiting family

Pitcured: Kurpa Patel who was due to fly home this week. Tens of thousands of UK nationals are believed to be stranded after Israel shut its airspace amid the escalating conflict with Iran

‘Even if the Foreign Office can’t arrange to get us out, they can at least give us some advice. It feels like the war is getting closer and closer every day, yesterday we had to go into a shelter three times.’

Other trapped Britons said they have been forced to find their own way out, with one father preparing to make an arduous journey through the desert to Egypt with his children. 

Jonathan Gold, 51, was in Israel for a long weekend visiting family with his daughter Maisie, 20, and son Daniel, 22, and was due to fly home to London yesterday afternoon. 

‘We’re grateful that we’re safe and well, and I realise people have got much worse going on but it is stressful, especially for the kids and my wife Alisa who is at home,‘ he added.

‘There are sirens going off and my priority is to get my children home safely.’ 

The financial adviser said he was in the process of organising transport to travel the 400 miles to Sharm El Sheikh.

Pictured: Smoke and fire rise at an impacted facility site in Israel following a missile attack from Iran 

Zach Margolin, 31, from north London, who was in Israel for his birthday said the UK had been of ‘no help’ as he tries to get home. 

‘They are very unhelpful, the only advice I got when I phoned the British embassy was to check the website for travel advice. The only travel advice on the website is don’t go to Israel.’

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said it was sending ‘rapid deployment teams to Egypt and Jordan’ to assist any Brits who travelled to the borders. 

In a statement it said: ‘The Foreign Office is working around the clock to respond to the crisis and support British nationals affected. We have launched a register of your presence so that we can share important information on the situation.’

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The ‘abandoned’ Brits trapped in Israel: Pressure on Foreign Office to evacuate UK nationals who say they are stranded in Middle East war zone while other countries rush to bring citizens home

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