Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order on Thursday authorizing the mobilization of rescue operations to repatriate Florida residents from Israel and provide humanitarian aid to Israel in response to the conflict with Hamas.
In response to what DeSantis perceived as a lack of adequate assistance from the Biden administration in facilitating rescue or evacuation operations, he opted to take action.
"Today, I signed an executive order authorizing rescue operations in Israel to bring Floridians home and transport supplies to our allies. We will not leave our residents behind. To the many Floridians who are stuck in Israel, trying to get home — help is on the way," the 2024 GOP presidential candidate wrote on X.
"Unlike the governments of other countries, the Biden Administration has failed to launch any form of rescue or evacuation operations for Americans, including Floridians, stranded in the region, and has failed to provide information requested by the State of Florida about any plans for such operations, DeSantis' executive order said.
However, the Biden administration, also on Thursday, unveiled plans to organize charter flights for American citizens seeking departure from Israel, according to The Hill.
John Kirby, a White House spokesperson for national security matters, said, "Beginning tomorrow, the United States government will arrange charter flights to provide transportation from Israel to sites in Europe."
He clarified that these flights are intended for U.S. citizens and their immediate family. The State Department is presently in the process of finalizing logistical details, with the question of whether the flights will be offered free still under consideration.
Kirby said, "We're also exploring other options to expand the capacity of doing this, including whether it's possible to help Americans by land and sea.
"So again, we're working hard on this. We know there's a demand signal out there, and we're going to try our best to meet it."
Over 20,000 American citizens, among them numerous Floridians, find themselves stranded in Israel, their desire to return home thwarted by the consequences of the ongoing conflict in the region. The disruption of commercial flights and various logistical challenges from the war have compounded their predicament.
In response to the recent attacks, multiple airlines have taken the precaution of suspending their flights to Tel Aviv. As a result, in a travel advisory issued on Saturday, the U.S. State Department strongly recommended against travel to the Gaza region.
The compatibility of DeSantis' order with Biden's plan remains unclear.
Hamas launched attacks on Saturday, resulting in over 1,000 Israeli casualties. Subsequent fighting in Gaza has claimed hundreds of Palestinian lives. On Thursday, Kirby confirmed 27 Americans killed, with 14 still unaccounted for, reported The Hill.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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