Bulgarian Workers near Gaza Now Safe in Tel Aviv

Bulgarian workers, employed in Israel's town of Netivot, deemed to be in danger over close proximity with the Gaza strip, have been transported with the help of the Bulgarian Embassy to Tel Aviv.

14 out of the 17 are in Tel Aviv now, 2, who earlier expressed desire to return to Bulgaria, are already back home, and 1 has refused to leave Netivot, the spokesperson of Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry, Vessela Cherneva informs.

It was reported earlier that the group, working in Netivot under a Bulgarian-Israeli agreement for temporary employment, called the Bulgarian Embassy in Tel Aviv, prompting the Ambassador to pay them a visit on Friday, when he established their security was problematic.

The Embassy is also monitoring the situation and is in touch with another 19 Bulgarians, who are working under the same agreement in Persheva. They also wish to be relocated to a safer place in Israel.

The Foreign Ministry calls on Bulgarians in Israel or with travel plans to go there to register in the "I Am Traveling To..." section online at www.mfa.bg.

Meanwhile, tensions and violence between Israel and Hamas which started Wednesday, when Israel killed Hamas's military chief, Ahmed Jabari, are escalating with both sides firing rockets at each other.