The 14 students at Helgeland Folkehøyskole have been in Tel Aviv in Israel for the past three weeks. Originally, they were supposed to be there for another five weeks, but the extensive rocket attack by Hamas has led to a complete reversal. They will now be on their way to the airport to fly back to Norway. – They have had a couple of days which have been demanding, says Jarle Råmunddal to news. He is secretary general of the Norwegian Israel Mission – and says that the students have been in and out of their bomb shelter since Saturday. Nettavisen mentioned the case first. Sweep with rockets Råmunddal says that the students have lived in their parish house during their entire stay. They have had lessons there, as well as using it as a base for excursions. Smoke rises from Ashkelon outside Tel Aviv. Photo: Reuters – They have been safe in our parish hall where they live. According to the conditions, they are doing well, says Råmunddal to news. He explains that the pupils have been restless because of sirens and that they have constantly had to stay in the bomb room in the building. – On Saturday there was a sweep of rockets over Tel Aviv which caused a lot of banging around them. It is clear that it is demanding to deal with. WAITING: People wait to fly out of Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The students from Helgeland Folkehøyskole are on their way there now. Photo: AFP Heading home Headmaster Redvald Hjulstad at Helgeland Folkehøyskole informs news that the students are safe and doing well under the circumstances. – Everyone is safe. We were supposed to be in Israel for three more weeks, but we still consider it best in the situation Israel is in to bring them home. We expect to have it in Norway soon, says Hjulstad. Råmunddal says the management at the school has made a decision that the students will now go home. A decision the Norwegian Israel Mission supports. – They are on their way to the airport. It is a Norwegian plane that has been hired and will fly them together with another large group. We hope that plane can take off at half past four. The plane the students will board will carry a total of 176 Norwegian citizens out of Israel. The plane is scheduled to take off from Ben Gurion Airport at half past four. Many are waiting at Ben Gurion airport. Photo: AFP – We have chartered a flight from Cyprus Airways, directly from Tel Aviv to Oslo. The students from Helgeland Folkehøyskole are there, says Bjarte Ystebø, who is the tour guide for a group of 71 people, who are in Israel under the auspices of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (IKAJ). First come, first serve The students are still at their hotel, and are themselves responsible for getting to the airport. – Everyone has been told to meet at the airport, says Ystebø. Principal Bjarte Hjulstad, Helgeland folk high school. Photo: Helgeland folk college The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (IKAJ) posted a message on Facebook that they had chartered a flight to Oslo. Then Helgeland folk high school was quickly on the spot, says Ystebø. – It was first come, first served. The next 100 spots we had were snapped up in an instant. We could fill two planes without any problems. There will be a total of 179 passengers on the plane, of which three are British citizens and the last is Finnish. Råmunddal tells news that they have just been in contact with their team leader Eivind Volle. – He says they are in good spirits and doing well. The fact that they have people who are well known in Israel is a strength, he adds: – We have several employees in Israel who are used to living there and being there. It helps a lot. They have also been close to these students and followed them closely.
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Landed in the middle of the crisis in Tel Aviv – news Nordland
