Florida, Virginia sending emergency supplies to Israel

Florida sends two cargo flights, loaded with 85 pallets of donated supplies, to Israel on Oct. 17, 2023. Credit: Florida Governor’s Office.

(JNS) — On Oct. 17, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted photos on social media of piles of boxes at an airport. “Two cargo flights loaded with 85 pallets of donated supplies are on their way to Israel,” DeSantis wrote.

“Florida stands with the people of Israel, and we will continue to help in any way we can as they fight back against Hamas terrorists,” added the Republican, who is also running for president.

“With the lack of leadership in Washington, we are stepping up to help our allies in Israel who are in need of supplies and our support,” DeSantis stated. “As we continue to bring back Americans who were stranded in Israel when the war began, we will also keep sending the necessary health-care supplies for Israel to care for those who have been injured.”

Per a press release from the governor’s office, the shipment includes: “735 bandages, nearly 5,000 hospital gowns, 84 IV kits, more than 30,000 needles, more than 30,000 syringes, 57 ventilators and more than 10,000 boxes of surgical gloves.”

It also includes “more than 1,000 children’s toys, more than 300 sleeping bags, more than 1,000 hygiene products and more than 2,000 articles of clothing.”

Virginia is also pitching in to help Israel, as Jason Miyares, its attorney general wrote in a letter to 100 sheriffs’ offices across the state.

“Many Americans are stepping up to offer support or humanitarian relief to innocent Israelis and Palestinians,” Miyares wrote. “In that spirit, my office is coordinating efforts to collect surplus body armor, protective gear and tactical equipment from local law-enforcement departments that want to help the Israel Defense Forces fight terrorism in Israel and Palestine.”

In particular, the attorney general’s office is collecting expired equipment, which is required to be donated or discarded, and it will ship them to the IDF.