WASHINGTON: The White House said on Thursday it was working to organise charter flights to help US citizens leave Israel, as the number of confirmed American dead rose to 27.

“Beginning tomorrow (Friday), the United States government will arrange charter flights to provide transportation from Israel to sites in Europe,” said White House national security spokesman John Kirby, adding that officials were “still working through some of the details”.

“We can now update the number of Americans that we know have been killed to 27 and the number of unaccounted for stands today at 14,” Kirby said.

“We’re obviously doing everything we can to support and inform the families.”

Washington says a “handful” of Americans are among prisoners and has moved its largest aircraft carrier off the Israeli coast.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2023