The group were in the region visiting holy sites
A church group sheltering inside a hotel in Israel said they could hear bombs exploding.
Members of Birmingham’s Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Prince Lazar were inside the Jerusalem hotel waiting for a flight home.
The group travelled to the country on 1 October as part of a trip to visit holy sites.
They were in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on Saturday during the Hamas attack on Israel.
They made the five mile journey to Jerusalem by travelling in a convoy.
Father Nenad Popovic, 44, said there were 40 people on the trip, about 30 of whom were British citizens.
“We can hear horns here and a lot of detonations, bombs sometimes,” Mr Popovic told the Press Association.
“We have children here, we have old people that need [medication] because we didn’t plan to stay in Israel.”
Image source, PA Media
About 30 members of the group are British citizens
A lot of airlines have cancelled flights to Israel or warned of travel disruption as the security situation deteriorates.
Mother-of-six Ljiljana Stojsavljevic, 54, from London, said on Monday evening they had had no contact from the government since informing them of their whereabouts.
“We’re a bit stressed out, there seems to be no boost from the British government for the citizens who are stuck here,” she said.
She added that it’s “impossible” to find a flight out of Israel.
“It’s not pleasant, but we’re trying to keep the spirits up and stay positive – for how long, we’re not sure.
“I’ve got six children waiting for me to come back – I don’t want them to worry, so I don’t tell them anything that’s serious.”
Image source, PA Media
The group, pictured before the attacks, arrived in the area on 1 October
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said it would not comment on individual cases but confirmed it is in contact with several individuals in Israel.
“The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority and we urge everyone to continue to follow our travel advice, which is updated regularly,” it said.
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