Instability in Israel concerns Georgian Gov’t

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze is concerned about the ongoing violence in Israel’s Gaza Strip.

She believed the conflict should be solved peacefully through dialogue between all sides, with involvement from the international community.

"We are carefully observing the ongoing chaos in Gaza and Israel,” Panjikidze said, adding "fortunately”, there were no reports of any Georgian citizens being injured or killed in the recent attacks.

Earlier today the Georgian Embassy to Israel released a statement to provide Georgian citizens in Israel with information should they need extra assistance.

"Taking the present conditions in the country into account, a hotline is functioning at the Consulate of Georgia to Israel,” the statement read.

"In case of necessity Georgian civilians can contact representativeness of Georgia on the hotline number +972-526919092.”

Public shelters have been opened at all heavily populated areas in the south of Israel and in central regions. All civilians are allowed to use the shelters in case of rocket assault, the statement read.

The Embassy also published official instructions should a rocket alarm sound. It said if a person was inside a building and an alarm sounded, the person is advised to leave the space they are in and enter a specially protected room in the building. If there is no such a room, refer to the nearest public shelter, which are located throughout Israel.

If a person was in open space when an alarm sounds, they were advised to enter a shelter in the nearest building. If a person was in a car, they were advised to stop, park it and go to the nearest shelter.

If no shelters were nearby, people were advised to lie on the ground away from vehicles and cover their heads with their hands. Leaving protected territories was allowed only after 10 minutes has passed once the alarm ceased.