US to evacuate nationals from Haifa to Cyprus by ship on Monday

The United States has organised a ship to take Americans out of Israel to Cyprus on Monday, the US embassy said.

With Israel moving toward an invasion of the Gaza Strip, the ship will leave from the Israeli port of Haifa for Limassol taking "US nationals and their immediate family members with a valid travel document", the US embassy said in a security alert on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of US passport holders live in Israel and 29 have been confirmed killed in the Hamas attacks of October 7. Another 15 are missing and believed to be among the hostages held by Hamas since the attacks.

The US embassy did not say how many people would be taken on the ship but said "boarding will proceed in order of arrival and is on a space limited basis." Boarding would start at 8:00 am (0500 GMT).

Each passenger will have to sign a document promising to repay the cost of the trip and will only be allowed to carry one suitcase. It said that some chartered flights would be arranged from Cyprus for onward travel.