TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared an emergency in Florida Thursday in response to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas — and pulled funds from the state's Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund to pay for any expenses the declaration might cause.

DeSantis issued Executive Order 23-208 (Emergency Management — Impacts of War in Israel), saying it was needed to help evacuate Floridians stranded in Israel after the terrorist organization Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, causing the death of more than 1,200 people, including 27 Americans, and injuring nearly 3,000 more.

The governor also said the declaration was necessary to help law enforcement quell potential violence at any demonstrations against Israel and to "protect the Jewish population in their schools and places of worship." The emergency declaration pointed out that efforts were already underway by the Florida Department of State, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Education and the State University System Board of Governors to provide resources to affected communities and law enforcement agencies.

Those resources were necessary "to ensure that Florida does not tolerate the harassment of its citizens and to prevent terrorist activities, including the unlawful harboring and financial support of foreign terrorist organizations," the declaration said.

To fund any future evacuations and resources needed to carry out DeSantis' emergency declaration, he ordered that funds be made available from the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund to "pay the costs of coping with this disaster."

The declaration went into effect immediately Thursday and will be in effect for 60 days.