ITT sends reassurance about safety of delegates after Tel Aviv shooting
Gunmen have killed four people and wounded others after opening fire in a popular shopping and restaurant district of Tel Aviv, the city where the ITT Conference has been taking place this week.
The incident took place yesterday evening at around 9.30pm local time at Sarona Market while conference delegates were at the Farewell Party at Lauren’s Gallery in the old city of Jaffa, just under five miles away.
During the three-day conference, delegates have been staying at the Hilton Tel Aviv, just two miles from where the shooting took place.
Most are due to fly home today (Thursday).
An ITT spokesperson said last night: "We are incredibly sad to learn of the incident tonight in Tel Aviv. Our thoughts are with the friends and families of those affected.
"We’d like to reassure everyone back home that delegates are well and enjoying the Farewell Party after a great conference.
"We have received reassurances from the Israeli authorities with regards to security, and are confident that all the necessary safety measures are in place to ensure the wellbeing of all our delegates and indeed all future travellers to Israel."
Conference organisers had earlier defended the choice of venue, despite lower than usual registrations.
After the shooting, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued travel advice telling anyone in the area to follow the instructions of security authorities.
The gunmen, who are reportedly from Yatta, a Palestinian village near Hebron in the West Bank, are both in custody. One is undergoing surgery in hospital.
Three of the wounded are said to be in a critical condition.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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