Families who found themselves trapped in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict have begun their return journeys to the United States over the past couple of days after facing considerable
challenges in securing available flights.
As the conflict unfolded, major American airlines canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's only international airport. This situation made it incredibly difficult for Americans in Israel to make their way back home, especially as the number of U.S. citizens confirmed to have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict reached 29, according to a statement issued by the State Department on Saturday.
Despite these challenges, families with varying routes originating in Israel have made their way to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Their journeys often involved layovers in cities such as Athens, Madrid, and Rome. It is important to note that several travelers, including those who adhere to Jewish religious practices that prohibit travel on the Sabbath, made their flights on this sacred day of rest.
A 37-year-old husband, known simply as David, eagerly waited for his wife and 3-year-old daughter at JFK's Terminal 4 arrivals area on Saturday. His wife, Ruth, aged 37, and their daughter arrived with a cart full of suitcases and a brightly colored scooter, emerging from the sliding glass doors. The Manhattan-based family chose not to disclose their last names or their daughter's name due to concerns about their family's safety.
This family, among many others, began reuniting in the days following the Biden administration's announcement that charter flights from Israel to European destinations would be organized, allowing American citizens to book connecting flights home. Delta, for instance, announced the addition of three more flights from Israel for U.S. citizens, connecting Athens and JFK on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, all arriving at 4:45 p.m. Eastern time.
Stephanie Hallett, the chargé d'affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, emphasized, "The United States has no higher priority than the safety of its citizens overseas." Her remarks were part of a prerecorded address on Friday, marking the commencement of flights out of the region. She also assured, "Any American citizen requiring the embassy's assistance will receive it."
The couple reunited at JFK still holds hope of moving back to Israel before the new year. Both David and Ruth were born in Israel, while their child was born in the United States.
A full week had passed since the onset of the Hamas attacks. On that Saturday, Ruth and her daughter were staying at her mother's home in Eilat, Israel's southernmost city, located near the Egyptian border. Friends of Ruth's lost their lives during the incursion, and she remained in contact with a cousin who sought refuge in a bomb shelter near Gaza for over 12 hours, hiding from besieging militants.
Ruth spent the week making relentless efforts to find a way out, making countless calls to airlines. On Tuesday, an agent secured them a flight to Madrid via Tel Aviv for the following day. The flights they considered booking were priced as high as $9,000.
Following several days in Madrid, a country Ruth had never visited before, she found herself in a challenging position. She did not speak the local language and had to balance caring for her daughter while grappling with the tragedy she had left behind.
"I needed to take care of her, and everything was super crazy," Ruth recounted. "I was going to the restroom to cry so she (wouldn't) see me."
Currently, the family holds tickets to return to Israel in 10 days. Ruth retains a sense of optimism that conditions may improve, but she wholeheartedly wishes for the fighting to come to an end. She expressed, "We don't want anyone to get hurt, not them, not us. We desire peace. That's how I feel." Photo by Jorge Láscar from Australia, Wikimedia commons.