Washington - The Biden administration is set to initiate the organization of charter flights, starting Friday, to transport American citizens from Israel to various European destinations, according to National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby's announcement on Thursday.
While some commercial airlines, like Israel's El Al, continue to operate flights within Israel, many other carriers, including some based in the United States, have suspended their services, resulting in limited availability.
Kirby revealed this during a White House briefing, stating that President Joe Biden has directed his national security team to assist Americans who wish to depart from Israel. He also mentioned that the government is still in the process of working out the specifics, such as the number of flights and their destinations.
Kirby mentioned that they are exploring other options, such as potential land and sea departures for Americans seeking to leave.
Regarding the number of Americans who wish to depart Israel, Kirby mentioned that he does not have precise figures. He did, however, point out that 27 Americans were killed, and 14 remain unaccounted for following attacks by Hamas on civilians in Israel near Gaza.
When asked if the charter flights would be provided free of charge, Kirby deferred to the State Department, although he noted that, in most previous cases, such flights were free.
According to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, the charter flights will enable U.S. citizens to make their own onward travel arrangements to their chosen destinations. Miller also mentioned that additional transportation options would be made available in the coming days, with the initial charter flight options facilitating the departure of thousands of U.S. citizens each week.
Kirby acknowledged that the evacuation of Americans presents challenges due to the large number of U.S. citizens in Israel, as they are not required to notify the U.S. government of their travel plans. He indicated that charter flights were arranged, in part, because U.S. airlines decided not to fly into Israel in the foreseeable future.
Regarding Americans in Gaza, Kirby explained that there is currently no way to evacuate them due to Israel's blockade. However, he stated that the U.S. government would support establishing safe passage for Americans wishing to leave Gaza and facilitating potential travel arrangements once they are out of Gaza.
"We have no physical means of getting that travel out," Kirby said about U.S. citizens in Gaza. "If there’s onward travel they might need we might be in a position to be more physically involved."
This week, lawmakers from both parties called on the Biden administration to arrange charter flights and potentially military airlifts, particularly as casualties continue to rise, and constituents in Israel fear for their safety.