The British government advised its citizens, on Friday, not to travel to the Gaza Strip, citing the abduction of two Westerners by gunmen earlier in the week.
Until now, the British Foreign Office had warned against all nonessential travel to the Gaza Strip, and to the West Bank with the exception of the cities of Ramallah, Jericho and Bethlehem.
The office also advised the citizens not to travel to Israel’s borders with Lebanon and Gaza.
“We strongly advise against all travel to the Gaza Strip because of the security situation and continuing threat of abductions of foreign nationals”, the latest Foreign Office advisory reads.
“The most recent incident occurred on Dec. 21, when an Australian national and Dutch national were abducted”, the advisory added, “British nationals have also been kidnapped in previous incidents”.
Since October, the Gaza Strip has been frequently closed without warning, preventing people entering or leaving Gaza.
The most recent kidnap victims were two teachers at an American school who were abducted by Palestinian gunmen who stopped their car north of the Gaza City. P.A security managed to free them safely.
