American travellers try to flee Israel amid Hamas attack, say airport is a ‘madhouse’
Four Americans have reportedly been killed in the Hamas attack on Israel
Four Americans have reportedly been killed in the Hamas attack on Israel. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed that the US was “working overtime” to verify reports of dead and missing Americans.
The ones who escaped unharmed are now trying to find a way out of Israel. Passengers have flocked Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, trying to flee. "It took four hours to get to the gate. It was a madhouse," tourist Alan Goldfarb of New Jersey told CBS New York.
Alan recently arrived from New Jersey and was set to start a two-week tour. However, he and his sister are now in a bomb shelter in their hotel. He said he was “glad” that he finally spent $2,000 for one of the last seats on a flight back home. I'm just sorry I wasn't about to ... more of the country, but I'm safe," Alan said.
‘We had to go to a safe room, which is like a bomb shelter’
Describing the changing situation in Israel, New Jersey native Lauri Bader said, “Yesterday was the perfect day here in Israel. Everything was fine and calm and beautiful and busy and vibrant, normal. And then this morning, we were woken up to a siren at 7:30 and we had to go to a safe room, which is like a bomb shelter.”
Lauri spent a day in her hotel’s bomb shelter, making plans to get back home. "It's been very tumultuous, very unsettling, very upsetting, obviously. I'm not so much worried about my own safety 'cause I'm in the safety of a hotel, but I am worried about the Israelis and what they're going through right now because it's a really horrendous situation," she said. "Your heart breaks for them when you're here because it's no way to live and people have to live in fear and it's not right, and I'm getting a little taste of it and it's really, really horrible."
An Israeli official has also confirmed that Americans are among the “scores” of hostages Hamas militants are holding in Gaza, according to Forbes. During the attack, Hamas’ militants infiltrated Israeli towns and launched missiles, reportedly resulting in the death of at least 250 people in Israel and 232 in Gaza. In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack “murderous.”