Cathay Pacific cancels Tel Aviv flights on Tuesday over Hamas attack in Israel

Cathay Pacific Airways said on Monday that it was canceling its flights CX675 from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, and CX676 from Tel Aviv to Hong Kong on Tuesday.

Cathay said it would provide further updates ahead of its next scheduled service on Thursday (Oct 12).

Same as Cathay, several international air carriers have also suspended flight services with Tel Aviv in light of the Hamas militant attack on Israel, saying they were waiting for safety conditions to improve before resuming.

Fighters from the Islamist group killed 700 Israelis and abducted dozens in Saturday's attacks, which were the deadliest such incursion since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago, prompting Israel to retaliate by pounding the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

On Sunday, U.S. air carriers United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines said they had suspended direct flights, as did Air France.

The U.S. airlines normally run direct services from major cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, DC and Miami.

In a statement, United said it had run two scheduled flights to the United States from Israel late on Saturday and early on Sunday but had suspended services "until conditions allow them to resume".

Delta representatives said flights "have been canceled into this week" while they monitor the situation to make necessary schedule changes.

Hainan Airlines, the only Chinese airline to fly between China and Israel, canceled flights between Tel Aviv and Shanghai on Monday, citing the security situation in Israel.

It also operates flights between Beijing and Tel Aviv as well as the southern tech hub of Shenzhen and Tel Aviv. The airline said it would adjust future flight plans depending on the situation.

Korean Air said it canceled its Monday flight between the port city of Incheon and Tel Aviv and expects future flights to be irregular.