People Fleeing Israel Arrive At Newark Airport After Harrowing Journey

NEWARK, NJ — As the fighting and death tolls in the war-torn Israel-Gaza Strip region intensify, New Jersey's largest city has become one of the waypoints for people fleeing the area by air.

Since Friday, flights have been arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport carrying people fleeing Israel, including U.S. citizens. Federal officials have said the government will provide charter flights for American citizens and their immediate families.

Sen. Cory Booker – who was in Israel when Hamas launched an attack that killed more than 1,200 people – has released a list of information and resources for U.S. citizens who are trying to leave Israel, Gaza or the West Bank.

The U.S. State Department has issued travel advisories for the region. Commercial availability remains limited out of Ben Gurion Airport in Israel as of Tuesday, officials say. Flight departures will continue on a rolling basis through at least Thursday, Oct. 19.

Those arriving at Newark Airport this week have shared harrowing stories of fear and worry.

Jeff Eliah, a Florida resident, said that he and his wife were in Israel for a wedding when Hamas’ latest attack took place.

“It was crazy,” Eliah told NorthJersey.com. “But we got very lucky. We got the first flight out to Cyprus. A couple of other flights were canceled, and one flight that we had was a scam.”

“I think I got on that flight and I was still traumatized by the events that happened,” said Leah Schreiber, who lives in Jerusalem.

“I'm not easily shocked, but that was beyond our worst experience,” Schreiber told ABC7 NY. “It was like a nightmare that you couldn't wake up from because it was just continuing.”

According to Gov. Phil Murphy, United Airlines – which maintains a hub in Newark – is one of the carriers that have been adding additional flights to help get U.S. citizens back home.

On Oct. 12, Murphy reported that regional airlines are providing additional flights from Israel to Athens, Greece as part of the effort.

Federal officials are also looking to the oceans for a possible means of evacuation; the government is helping U.S. nationals and their immediate family members to depart Haifa via sea for Cyprus.

Meanwhile, federal officials say they continue to “work on potential options” for departure from Gaza for U.S. citizens.

On Friday, Israel ordered more than a million Palestinians to evacuate the northern portion of the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion. The United Nations has warned that evacuating almost half of Gaza’s population would be calamitous, the Associated Press reported.

The BBC reported that more than 100 Palestinians have been killed in air strikes in southern Gaza, as the Israeli military continues to target the area despite ordering civilians to shelter there. There have been hopes of opening the Rafah crossing in Egypt, but an Israeli strike reportedly damaged a building at the crossing on Monday – casting an uncertain shadow on that route of escape.

“The military conflict between Israel and Hamas is ongoing, making identifying departure options for U.S. citizens complex,” the state department said on its website on Oct. 17.

Federal officials continued:

“We have U.S. government officials working 24/7 to try to assist. If you have not already done so, please complete the crisis intake form to provide contact information should we need to reach out to you on short notice … We anticipate that the situation at the Rafah crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable. If you assess it to be safe, you may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing – there may be very little notice if the crossing opens, and it may only open for a limited time.”

The latest round of harrowing violence in the Gaza Strip has shocked the world, including people living thousands of miles away in New Jersey.

As of Oct. 13, more than 1,300 people in Israel – including civilians and children – have been killed since Hamas forces launched their now-infamous assault, reports say. Dozens of the deceased are U.S. residents, including some from New Jersey. An unknown number of Israeli soldiers and civilians were also seized by Hamas and taken into Gaza. Read More: Hamas Attacks Deadliest Day For Jews Since The Holocaust, Biden Says

Meanwhile, Palestinian authorities say at least 1,537 people have been killed in Gaza as of Thursday evening due to Israel's air strikes – also including civilians and children. Israel has cut off water and electricity in Gaza, raising an outcry from pro-Palestinian advocates.

• Read More: Israel-Hamas: Essex County Divided As Death Toll Grows (UPDATED)
• Read More: Israel-Hamas: How To Talk To Your Kids, Practice Self-Care
• Read More: Don't Use Israel-Hamas War To Fan Flames Of Hate, NJ Mayor Says

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