As of 10:30, 18 October 2023:

Situation:

• Numerous deaths and injuries at a Gaza hospital overnight have led to protests and demonstrations across the Middle East and North Africa, some of them turning violent. There are calls for today, 18 October 2023, to be a “day of rage” in response to Israel’s military activities in Gaza.

In Tunisia…

• Protests are ongoing in cities across the country including Tunis, Sousse, Kairouan, Nabeul, Sfax, and Beja
• Demonstrations in Tunis appear centered in the downtown/Avenue Habib Bourghiba area, but not exclusively
• Some protests are being organized by the main labor union, the UGTT, with officials calls for teachers and students to depart schools at 10:00 am and gather at regional UGTT headquarters buildings for demonstrations
• Individual companies and organizations are already conducting smaller scale protests, including hospitals and banks
• Demonstrations thus far have included passionate pro-Palestinian rhetoric but have remained peaceful

Impact:

• As schools release throughout the late morning, major disruptions could occur as foot and vehicle traffic move to join demonstrations
• Smaller demonstrations could continue to form unexpectedly and not necessarily in the downtown area
• Disruptions to traffic and potentially to other basic services could be observed
• Demonstrators could gather, and then begin moving to other areas of the city

Recommendations:

• Limit movements in major urban centers
• Consider proactively retrieving children from schools
• Avoid the downtown area, including the French Embassy, Avenue Habib Bourghiba, Centreville, Bab Bhar, Lafayette, Belvedere
• Avoid the US Embassy
• Avoid crowds
• Confirm communication plans and shelter-in-place plans
• Maintain awareness of the environment via reliable information channels

Additional questions or concerns. Contact our team.