Nine people associated with Dallas Baptist University are headed back to North Texas from Israel, where they were when the country was attacked by Hamas over the weekend.
The three students, three faculty members, and three alumni had to postpone their scheduled departure - but secured a flight out of Israel to Dallas-Fort Worth on Tuesday.
"Our experience here in the Holy Land was transformative. Our group commented regularly that the visit to Biblical and historical sites helped them more fully understand the background of the Bible," said Dr. Jay Harley, the school's Vice President for Student Affairs, one of three faculty members or administrators on the trip. "Although we are certainly tired and ready to be home, our group is remaining in good spirits and are currently at a secure hotel."
The nine people from DBU were part of a larger group of 18 people touring the Holy Land. Their last day in Israel was scheduled to be Oct. 7, but their flight out was canceled because of the fighting. Several airlines canceled flights into and out of Israel as a safety precaution.
The DBU group was away from the fighting in southern Israel. Officials with the school say they are all safe and are scheduled to leave the country today. They should be back in Dallas on Wednesday.
"The safety and well-being of our DBU family and friends have been our utmost priority throughout this challenging time, and we are relieved to confirm that the entire DBU group are now on their way back to their loved ones," the university said in a written statement. "We have been in close contact with them, and they are in good spirits."
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