Thousands of Israelis Stranded in Greece

Thousands of Israelis have been stranded in Greece following a government decision on Monday to shut down Thessaloniki and Serres in the north due to a rise in coronavirus infections, according to media reports.

The lockdown, to take effect for a two-week period starting Tuesday morning, includes the Thessaloniki airport, which prompted the Israeli airlines El Al and Israir to cancel all flights to the city.

The government also announced the expansion of a night-time curfew on movement and the closure of restaurants and bars in the most populous areas of the country for one month.

Greece registered 1,678 new infections on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases in the country so far to 40,929 since February. The country has recorded 635 related deaths.

Greece has been the only country so far which Israelis can both fly to and return from without having to enter quarantine.