DeSantis orders rescue operations for Floridians in Israel, supplies transport: ‘Help is on the way.’

Eric Daugherty contributed to this report.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Thursday that would allow the state to carry out rescue operations for Floridians stranded in Israel following Hamas’ recent attack.

Under the order, Florida will be dispatching planes to rescue Floridians.

It enables the Florida Division of Emergency Management to help ensure Floridians return home safely, along with transporting necessary supplies to Israel, according to the governor’s office.

“We will not leave our residents behind,” DeSantis said Thursday. “To the many Floridians who are stuck in Israel, trying to get home — help is on the way.”

DeSantis said the Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard have been ordered to be activated “as needed” to assist in responding to the emergency.

“There are more than 20,000 Americans, including Floridians, in Israel who wish to return home but are unable to do so,” the governor’s director of communications, Jason Mahon, said.

The order stated that Floridians have been prevented from returning on flights home because of commercial flight cancellations and disruptions in the region.

To alleviate that, DeSantis’ order ensures planes can be sent directly to rescue those residents.

It explained that Floridians have requested help from the governor’s office from “nearly every member of Florida’s congressional delegation” due to lack of timely assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Israel.

“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,” the order said.

It also scathed the Biden administration, saying they have not provided information to Florida about any plans for those operations.

DeSantis’ order hands Florida wide latitude in responding to the crisis in Israel.

Several statutes, rules and orders can be suspended that would “hinder” or “prevent” responding to the state of emergency.

The governor directed the Division of Emergency Management director to execute a plan “and other response, recovery, and mitigation plans necessary to cope with the emergency, including any logistical, rescue, or evacuation operations.”

The order directs allows law enforcement agencies to identify people needed from those agencies to “assist in meeting the response, recovery, and mitigation needs.”

In his order, the governor noted that the state’s latest efforts come after Florida heightened law enforcement resources to “prevent violence” at demonstrations that are favorable to Hamas and/or unfavorable towards Jewish people.

The governor has been vocal about Hamas’ terroristic violence against Israel and Israeli citizens. He called on Israel to “destroy” Hamas in response to recent attacks.

Also this week, DeSantis announced a “strong” sanctions proposal against Iran, the country purportedly behind the planning of attacks on Israel.

“We are going to rollout during the next legislative session a proposal to increase on Iran and to block Iranian business in our state,” DeSantis said.