TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s foreign ministry said its staff in Israel have been slandered on Tuesday (Oct. 10) after one Taiwanese man claimed he was met with indifference when asking for assistance to leave the country.

Storm Media reported that two Taiwanese citizens in Israel contacted the local Taiwan office for help booking tickets to leave the country, but said they were asked to book flights themselves online. The pair posted their experience online, leading to widespread criticism of the foreign ministry.

The man complained that he was forced to pay NT$50,000 (US$1,560) for a one-way ticket on a budget airline so that he could leave early. “Today, Taiwanese people encountered war while travelling, contacted embassy staff for help, but received an indifferent response,” the man said.

In the Tuesday statement the ministry said that it had been contacted by a man named Chen (陳) who wanted to return to Taiwan in advance. It said that the Taiwan office staff gave the man relevant information, but told him that he had to change the tickets himself because his personal credit card information was required to do so.

Chen was provided with information about how to make this change, and asked if he required any further help with his travels, the ministry said. Chen said he did not need further help with his request, the statement continued.

“The ministry and the (Taiwan) office in Israel spared no effort to assist citizens travelling in Israel, disregarding their own safety to do so. We express our deep heartache and regret that foreign personnel have been slandered in a way that is inconsistent with the facts” the statement read.

The ministry statement also included information about evacuation assistance it provided to over 70 Taiwanese people in three tour groups.