DeSantis Greets First 300 Floridians Returning Home from Israel

‘I am proud of how quickly we have been able to activate resources and do what the federal government could not.’

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to guests during a campaign event at Refuge City Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 8, 2023. Scott Olson/Getty Images

In the final hours of Oct. 15, the first plane rescuing Floridians from an embattled Israel touched down in the Sunshine State.

Gov. Ron DeSantis was waiting on the tarmac at Tampa International Airport to greet the more than 300 residents—270 of whom were from the Tampa Bay area, and another seven from Orlando. More than 90 of them were children.

In response to the attacks on Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Mr. DeSantis signed Executive Order 23-208 on Oct. 12 to allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to bring Floridians home and deliver necessary supplies to Israel.

“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,” he said in a press release.

The Florida government partnered with Project Dynamo, which is a veteran-led and donor-fed international rescue non-profit organization.

“We conduct global and domestic operations, in ‘The Grey Space,’ where the U.S. government lacks access or a presence to rescue the most vulnerable populations, including hostages, unlawfully detained Americans, and victims of human trafficking,” it says on its website.

“It’s truly heart-wrenching to watch the destruction unfolding in Israel,” said Project Dynamo’s CEO and founder Bryan Stern.

“We’re so grateful to Gov. DeSantis for partnering with us on this mission to save every American in need.”

Palestinians fled from northern Gaza to the south after the Israeli army issued an unprecedented evacuation warning to a population of over 1 million in northern Gaza and Gaza City to seek refuge in the south ahead of a possible Israeli ground operation, on Oct. 13, 2023. Hatem Moussa/AP

Meanwhile, the Biden administration announced plans to move Americans out of Israel on Oct. 13, with flights reportedly only getting as far as Athens, Greece.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management expanded its efforts to offer safe transportation back to the United States for those who may have been left “stranded” in the Greek capital city.

“There is literally nothing that @GovRonDeSantis won’t do to look out for the people he serves,” Gov. DeSantis’ press secretary Jeremy Redfern posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“What you saw in Florida tonight, with nearly 300 Americans brought back from Israel, is only the beginning.”

“Following last week’s unprovoked and heinous attacks by Hamas, Gov. Ron DeSantis took immediate action to help Floridians in Israel,” said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez in a press release.

“Our administration will continue to work to safely bring Floridians home and support the people of Israel as they fight back to defend themselves.”

An estimated 20,000 Americans were reported to be in Israel at the time of the Hamas attacks, according to the governor’s executive order.

They were unable to return home as scores of commercial flights, including those operated by American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Ryanair, and British Airways, were suspended.