Related video above: Another plane carrying evacuees from Israel to land in Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Nearly 700 Americans have been brought back to Florida on four flights from Israel, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Tuesday.
Two cargo planes were also sent to Israel containing 85 pallets of donated supplies, DeSantis said.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management and Project Dynamo identified U.S. Citizens who were trapped in Israel after the Hamas attacks. The Florida Department of Transportation also brought in resources to Tampa to assist in helping the citizens through Customs.
DeSantis said 270 passengers arrived on Oct. 15, 47 arrived on Oct. 18. Another 243 passengers landed in Tampa on Thursday and another 118 arrived on Monday. Some of those passengers were flown from Tampa to Orlando.
DeSantis also announced that there has been an increased focus on public safety involving synagogues, Jewish Day Schools and other events in Florida’s Jewish community. There have been at least seven arrests since Oct. 11 in connection with the conflict.
One of those arrests was a man who allegedly told a security guard he was a member of Hamas and was going to bomb a Jewish school in Miami Beach, according to a news release.