Exercise caution — there are real risks that travellers should plan around. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
The Palestinian Territories cover three very different areas: the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Each carries its own risk picture, and travellers should not treat them as one place. Gaza is sealed. Border crossings out of the Strip have been closed to civilians and general traffic since the Israeli military took control of the Rafah crossing on 6 May 2024. The official advisory guidance warns against all travel to Gaza, and official advisory guidance places it at Level 4. Do Not Travel, citing armed conflict and terrorism. Independent entry by foreign visitors is not possible right now. The West Bank covers cities like Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and Nablus. Pilgrim and tour groups have historically visited Bethlehem and the Jordan Valley. But official advisory guidance warns against all travel to the West Bank, and the US rates it Level 3, Reconsider Travel. Settler violence, military operations, checkpoint closures and clashes around flashpoints such as Hebron's Old City and the Nablus area have continued through early 2026. East Jerusalem, including the Old City and the area around Damascus Gate, has also seen periodic unrest tied to wider tensions across Israel and Palestine.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its guidance on 1 April 2026. It warns against all travel to Israel and Palestine, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. The wording is unusually firm: travel within or out of Israel or Palestine is described as being at the traveller's own risk. The official advisory guidance also points to ongoing rocket and drone attack risks and tells travellers already in the area to follow local shelter-in-place instructions. The official advisory guidance reissued its advisory for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza on 27 February 2026. The headline level is Level 3, Reconsider Travel, with Gaza held at Level 4, Do Not Travel. On the same date, official advisory guidance authorised the departure of non-emergency US government staff and family members from Mission Israel because of safety risks. Northern Israel within 4 km of the Lebanese and Syrian borders. The 11.3 km Gaza periphery and a strip along the Egyptian border are also flagged Do Not Travel. Both governments are aligned on the message that conditions can change quickly and with little warning.
What travellers should know
Travel insurance is the first practical issue. With official advisory guidance warning against all travel, most standard UK policies will not cover trips to the West Bank, East Jerusalem or Gaza. Travellers should check with their insurer in writing before booking, and not rely on assumptions from earlier years. Specialist conflict-zone cover exists but is expensive and limited. Access routes are narrow. Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv remains the main entry point for the West Bank, and official advisory guidance warns of possible disruption there. The land crossings from Jordan, including the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, can close at short notice. Inside the West Bank, Israeli military checkpoints around Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron may shut without warning. And curfews can be imposed on specific towns or refugee camps. Travellers should keep their passport and any permits on them at all times. Anyone who still chooses to go should register their presence with their embassy. Share a daily itinerary with someone at home, avoid demonstrations, stay away from security and military facilities. And have a clear plan for leaving if commercial flights start to thin out. Gaza is not accessible to independent travellers right now.