Charalambos Stylianou
The U.S. government is actively considering contingency plans for the potential evacuation of Americans from the Middle East as tensions rise in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
This information was reported by Philenews on Wednesday, citing reliable sources who also pointed out that Cyprus is presently regarded as the safest location within the war-torn region.
John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, emphasized on Tuesday that there are no active evacuation efforts for Americans in the Middle East, except for the charter flights initiated earlier this month from Israel.
Kirby stated, "It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn't have people contemplating a wide range of potential scenarios, including evacuations."
These contingency plans have been addressed by the White House against the backdrop of growing concerns that the 18-day-long Israel-Hamas conflict could escalate further.
According to the report from Philenews, the United States has advised Israel to consider delaying any potential ground invasion of Gaza to support efforts by the U.S. and regional partners to secure the release of more than 200 hostages captured during the October 7 attack on Hamas territory.
As the Israel-Hamas conflict extends beyond two weeks, the specter of a wider regional crisis looms. The U.S. is taking measures to ensure the safety of its citizens in the event of an escalation, underscoring the gravity of the situation in the Middle East.
The island of Cyprus emerges as the focal point for these precautionary plans, being seen as the safest refuge within the troubled region.
