Florida governor and presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis welcomed a plane of 270 American evacuees, including 91 children, back from Israel on Sunday evening.
DeSantis signed an executive order last week authorizing the Florida Division of Emergency Management to carry out “logistical, rescue and evacuation operations” for Florida residents who are in Israel. The state partnered with Project Dynamo, a veteran-run coalition, to charter the first rescue flight to return to the U.S.
“I am proud of how quickly we have been able to activate resources and do what the federal government could not — get Floridians and other Americans back home, reunited with their families, free of charge,” DeSantis said in a statement.
Commercial airlines have canceled hundreds of flights out of Israel as Hamas wages war against Israeli civilians. Hamas terrorists have killed an estimated 1,400 Israeli citizens and 30 Americans. DeSantis estimated in his executive order that there are “more than 20,000 Americans, including Floridians in Israel who wish to return home but are unable to do so.”
The Gobioff family were three of the evacuees rescued yesterday. They spent their last week in Israel hunkered down in a bomb shelter, with their toddler.
“In a physical sense, we’re very thankful that we’re here,” Chaim Gobioff told USA Today. “We are very blessed that we had a governor that got us here. A God who took care of everything. But on an emotional level, it is very overwhelming to be in a situation of where you have a fear of your life.”
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Thursday that the federal government will charter flights for U.S. citizens out of Israel into Europe. The State Department organized its first flight taking U.S. citizens out of Israel to Athens, on October 13.
“Senior State Department officials are actively working with airline carriers and international partners on how best to provide additional options to U.S. citizens seeking to depart Israel or conduct onward travel to the United States,” Miller said.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also confirmed on Thursday that the government would explore the possibility of evacuating citizens “by land and by sea.”
The U.S. Embassy in Israel told Americans last week that “it will take some period of time to schedule everyone seeking to depart,” adding that, “You will not be able to choose your destination. We will assign you to the next available flight or ship.” Pets are not permitted on those flights and passengers must “sign an agreement to repay the U.S. government prior to departure,” as required by law, ABC news reported.
Four dogs touched down at Tampa International Airport on Sunday, as DeSantis, his wife Casey, and their three children embraced evacuees.