U.S. Embassy Organizes Emergency Evacuation by Ship for Americans Wanting to Leave Israel - Israel News - Haaretz.com
A ship for American citizens wishing to leave Israel will be departing from Haifa on Monday morning, the U.S. Embassy in Israel announced Sunday.
The Cyprus-bound boat is designated for “U.S. nationals and their immediate family members with a valid travel document,” the announcement said.
On Friday, the White House and State Department announced the start of chartered flights for American citizens departing Israel to Athens and Frankfurt in order to “facilitate the safe departure of thousands of U.S. citizens.”
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on the same day that the U.S. government was investigating ways to accommodate demand for travel out of Israel, “including exploring whether it’s possible to help Americans leave by land and by sea” to increase capacity.
Monday’s boat trip from Haifa is not free: Those who board the ship, like those who are taking advantage of the chartered flights, will be required to sign an agreement to repay the U.S. government for the cost of the trip.
Those on board will be responsible for arranging their own accommodations and onward travel from Cyprus, adding that if travelers “are unable to secure onward travel from Cyprus, chartered flights are also being arranged.”
Travel to the ship’s departure site in Haifa “is conducted at your own risk, and plans may change depending on the security situation. The U.S. government is unable to guarantee your safety,” the announcement stated.
The embassy announcement said the sea journey to Limassol would take approximately 10 to 12 hours, that each traveler would be permitted to bring a 50-pound (22.5-kilogram) suitcase and carry-on bag, and that pets would not be permitted to board. Food and Wi-Fi will be provided on the ship, the announcement said, and upon arrival in Limassol, buses will transport travelers to the country’s international airports in Larnaca and Paphos.
Haifa Port, where a specially arranged ship for U.S. nationals will leave on Monday morning.Credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS
On Saturday, an embassy announcement said the U.S. government was also “working on potential options for departure from Gaza for U.S. citizens” – with the caveat that the “military conflict between Israel and Hamas is ongoing, making identifying departure options for U.S. citizens” in the Strip “complex.”