Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport opened to limited civilian flights on Thursday after five days of war as the first repatriation flights began to bring home the tens of thousands of Israelis stranded abroad landed.

Also Thursday the government announced that outgoing flights would gradually start on Sunday.

At 6:05 a.m., a plane operated by national carrier El Al touched down from Athens at the airport, the country’s main international gateway. Minutes later, a flight by Israeli charter carrier Israir landed from Rome and was expected to be followed by other flights by local carriers Arkia and Haifa Air later in the day.

The flights are to help an estimated 100,000 Israelis who have been unable to return home since Israel shuttered its airspace on Saturday as it began a joint air assault with the US on Iran. The Iranians have responded with ballistic missile fire at Israel and Middle East countries that host US bases.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev spoke over the radio with the pilot of the El Al plane, telling him, “We wish you a safe landing and with God’s help, we will bring all the Israelis home.”

As the flight was preparing to take off, the pilot told passengers that it would be the first repatriation flight to land in Tel Aviv, saying, “This is a significant and moving moment for all of us, after five days during which the country’s skies were closed to commercial flights. We are proud to bring you back to Israel.”

El Al said in a statement that the flight was made after “extensive operational preparations carried out in recent days by the company.”

Landings were briefly halted Thursday........

© The Times of Israel