(The Center Square) Within two days of announcing Florida would arrange transportation for Americans stranded in Israel and bring them to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomed home nearly 300 Sunday night.
At the Tampa International Airport, DeSantis posted a video, stating, “We are having our first flight of people being rescued from Israel. [The plane] has landed, over 260 people that wanted to get back to the United States and couldn’t do it, there was a void of leadership. So, we stepped up and led. We’re happy to be able to deliver and ready to welcome them back to the United States of America.”
We are getting ready to welcome hundreds of people who were stuck in Israel back to the United States of America. pic.twitter.com/4gYyDI09DK
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 16, 2023
Florida partnered with Project Dynamo to bring nearly 300 Americans home from Israel, including more than 270 to Tampa and seven to Orlando on Sunday.
“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.
“Israel mourns its more than 1,400 murdered and 150 hostages in the devastating unprovoked terror attack perpetrated by Hamas,” Consul General of Israel to Florida, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, said. “We have gone to war to eradicate Hamas and its allies and to uphold our values of freedom, humanity and the sanctity of life. The support we are receiving from Governor DeSantis, the First Lady, FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie, Florida Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly, FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass and his entire administration and the state is overwhelming. We are very grateful for the special flights and supplies.”
Bryan Stern, CEO and founder of Project Dynamo, said, “We have a dedicated team of volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure the well-being of Americans caught in crisis situations all over the world. It’s truly heart-wrenching to watch the destruction unfolding in Israel. We’re so grateful to Governor DeSantis for partnering with us on this mission, to save every American in need.”
There are roughly 20,000 Americans, including many Floridians, who are stranded in Israel, according to some reports. They’re unable to get out because of commercial flight cancellations and other travel and logistics disruptions due to the ongoing war with Hamas.
