A group of 33 travelers, including orphaned children and their chaperones, were supposed to embark on a trip to Mexico on May 26, funded by donations. However, their journey was abruptly halted when the Spanish airline Iberia canceled their flight to Israel due to air raid sirens in the central region.
The children had been eagerly awaiting this therapeutic excursion organized by the One Family organization as part of their grieving process. Instead, they found themselves stranded at Ben Gurion Airport for hours without a clear solution.
"We are in a very frustrating situation," said Shantal Belzberg, CEO of One Family. "These orphans lost both parents in the October 7th attack and they had been looking forward to this journey for weeks as part of our therapeutic program to process their grief and bereavement."
Belzberg described the group, which includes dozens of children, adults, and families, as a population in need of stability and security. "We wanted to provide them with that, but instead, they are experiencing upheaval," she added.
Representatives accompanying the group reported that the children were upset and crying, their hearts aching at the sight. Despite efforts by various airlines to find alternative solutions, the limited availability of seats has made it challenging to secure a replacement flight to Mexico.
