𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 …

United States National Security Council coordinator John Kirby in White House a press briefing on Thursday announcing that the U.S. is organizing flights to help Americans leave Israel.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Kirby noted that along with the efforts beginning on Friday, the U.S. is also “exploring other options to expand the capacity of doing this, including whether it’s possible to help Americans leave by land and by sea” amid fighting in the now six-day-old Israel-Hamas war in which at least 2,600 people have died from both sides. On Thursday, Kirby also noted that the number of Americans who have been killed is now at 27, while the number of those who remain unaccounted for is at 14.
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𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁: The Associated Press reports, “U.S. officials estimate 160,000-170,000 Americans are in Israel, as residents, tourists or in some other capacity. An estimated 500 to 600 American citizens are in Gaza, including people who have been working as humanitarian workers or visiting relatives.” Currently, the borders to exit Gaza are sealed, however, Biden administration officials have noted that the U.S. is working with Israel and Egypt to establish safe passage for those who would like to leave Gaza.
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𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: While the White House has not used the term “evacuation” regarding the U.S.’ efforts to assist Americans in Israel, commercial means to leave Israel have largely halted.