First charter flight for US citizens fleeing Israel lands in Athens

Hundreds of thousands of Americans, many of them dual nationals, live in Israel and the Palestinian territories

The first State Department charter flight ferrying Americans away from the war in Israel landed on Friday in Athens, Greece, a White House official told Reuters.

Earlier in the day, the National Security Council’s John Kirby confirmed the flight had left for a safe destination in Europe.

More flights between Tel Aviv and Athens are scheduled through 19 October, a government source told the wire service. More than 400 Americans signed up for the initial flight out of Israel.

"I would add that we’re also exploring other options to expand the capacity of doing this, including exploring whether it’s possible to help Americans leave by land and by sea," Mr Kirby said during a briefing on Thursday.

As of Thursday, 27 Americans are confirmed by the State Department have died in Israel since the outbreak of the war, and 14 remain unaccounted for, some of whom have likely been kidnapped by Hamas.

An estimated 500,000 American citizens live in Israel, including over 200,000 dual US-Israeli citizens.

Meanwhile, there are an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 US-Palestinian dual citizens, 10,000 of whom live permanently in Palestinian territories, according to unofficial estimates in Middle East media sources.

In a meeting with American Jewish leaders at the White House this week, President Joe Biden said bringing back at-risk Americans is a top priority.

“We want to make it real clear. We’re working on every aspect of the hostage crisis in Israel, including deploying experts to advise and assist with recovery efforts,” Mr Biden said, adding, “There’s a lot we’re doing, a lot we’re doing. I have not given up hope of bringing these folks home.”

During a State Department briefing this week, spokesman Matthew Miller said the US would seek to aid its citizens regardless of whether they were living in Israel or the Palestinian territories.

“It ultimately doesn’t matter to us,” he said. “American citizens are American citizens.”

The flights, however, are not free. According to an NBC report, the State Department is quoted as saying, “You will be asked to sign an agreement to repay the U.S. government prior to departure.” In addition, the statement said, “You should be prepared to arrange your own lodging and onward travel ... to your final destination.”