Israel says commercial goods will not enter Gaza, a major shutoff for the hungry territory

A bomb scare on a Delta Air Lines flight at Ben-Gurion Airport on Tuesday prompted a security search that found no explosives, just days after an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv raised concerns about Israel's aviation security. Passengers were evacuated and the aircraft moved to a secure location for inspection, with authorities concluding the threat was likely a hoax.

The September 30 Flydubai incident was different and potentially more dangerous. A co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe, intending to crash the plane into Ben-Gurion Airport, causing mass casualties. The aircraft crashed before the wounded captain and crew could subdue the attacker, landing safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

International aviation security expert Brig.-Gen. Mena Bacharach said the attack underscored the need for advanced technological safeguards inside aircraft cockpits, such as remotely activated, Wi-Fi-based cockpit cameras to monitor emergencies. However, such systems raise privacy and cyberattack concerns. The suspect, an Omani national, had passed background checks and shown extremist tendencies years earlier, seeking an aviation career to carry out the attack.

This incident has intensified scrutiny of airline employee screenings and their ability to detect insider threats. Experts stress that security checks should include ground crews and other flight personnel, not just pilots.