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US tells citizens to 'reconsider' travel to conflict-hit Israel

Washington - The travel advisory level was stepped up to Level 3, out of a maximum of four.

The US State Department on Thursday urged citizens to “reconsider travel to Israel” due to the recent surge in violence between the Jewish state and Palestinians.

The travel advisory level, which had been lowered in recent weeks due to improvement in the country’s Covid-19 situation, was stepped up to Level 3, out of a maximum of four.

“Reconsider travel to Israel due to armed conflict and civil unrest,” the department said in a statement.

“Rockets continue to impact the Gaza periphery and areas across Southern and Central Israel, including Jerusalem,” it said.

“There has been a marked increase in protests and violence throughout Israel.”

Washington was also advising that Americans “do not travel” to Gaza due to “Covid-19, terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict,” as well as avoiding the West Bank due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.

The travel advisory came as Israel pounded Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border Thursday as Palestinians fired barrages of rockets back, with the death toll in the enclave on the fourth day of conflict climbing to over 100.