Kirby says US exploring alternatives for evacuating Americans from Israel war zone

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Wednesday that the United States is exploring its options for evacuating Americans from the Israel war zone.

When asked what the U.S. is doing to evacuate Americans from Israel, Kirby said on NewsNation’s “The Hill” that the U.S. is evaluating alternatives for getting them out of the country. He noted that commercial flights are still going out of Ben Gurion Airport, which could be an option for Americans. 

While he did not offer much detail on what alternatives could be, he said Americans who are in Israel should “stay tuned” for more options to evacuate the country. 

“We’re exploring many other options as well, to see if there’s other things that we could do to help Americans who want to leave,” Kirby said. “And there are many Americans who live and work in Israel. For many of them, it’s home and they don’t want to leave.”

“We are mindful though that there could be some who using the commercial options or the ground route options are either not feasible or affordable. And so, we are actively exploring other options,” he continued.

He said that the U.S. is talking to the airlines about potential alternative routes out of Israel and that there should be more information on the options by the end of the day Wednesday.

“We have been exploring options and continue to do that. And I would just say stay tuned. I think we’ll have more to say very soon about what some of those options are going to look like,” he added.

The State Department confirmed Wednesday that at least 22 American citizens have died as a result of the ongoing violence in Israel. More than 1,200 Israelis have died since the onset of Hamas’s attacks against Israel over the weekend, and more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed amid fighting in Gaza.

The White House also said Wednesday that it has determined that 17 Americans are unaccounted for in Israel, but it’s unclear how many of those may be held hostage by Hamas. Kirby said earlier in the day that there are a “very small” number of Americans believed to be hostages, adding that the U.S. is working with the Israelis, the families of the hostages and unaccounted-for Americans to bring the hostages home.

The State Department also increased its travel advisory for Israel on Wednesday, urging Americans to “reconsider travel” to the country as its war with Hamas in Gaza intensifies.

The Hill show on NewsNation airs Monday to Friday at 5 p.m. EST.