German President Olaf Scholz faced an alarm shortly before take-off from Tel Aviv, and was then forced to abandon the plane due to a missile alert. Passengers were asked to lie down on the airport tarmac.
As Welt reports, there were also journalists on the mission who were forced to lie down on the runway. Two Hamas rockets were neutralized over the airport by Israel's Iron Dome defense system.
According to the German newspaper report, the chancellor did not lie down in the corridor, but ran to a nearby container and from there to a shelter. After a few minutes, the passengers managed to board the plane again. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said today that he had discussed ways to get humanitarian aid to civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip during Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with the prime minister.
"Germany and Israel are united as democratic states, acting on the basis of justice and law even in extreme situations... I have discussed with the prime minister (Netanyahu) ways to allow the people in Gaza to receive humanitarian aid as long as as soon as possible", emphasized Soltz in the press conference he gave with the Israeli Prime Minister.
After Israel, Soltz will go to Egypt.
#Raketenalarm in Tel Aviv. Die Regierungsmaschine wird umgehend evakuiert. @Bundeskanzler wird in einen Schutzraum gebracht. Wir legen uns vor dem Flugzeug auf den Boden. @robinalexander_ @frautoroxel pic.twitter.com/OTWV55KUoA
— Sara Sievert (@sara__si) October 17, 2023