Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Thursday declaring a state of emergency in Florida due to the Hamas attack in Israel.

But why? It’s a highly-unusual move for a governor of a U.S. state to declare a state of emergency as a result of actions overseas.

According to DeSantis’ order, there are Florida residents who are in need of help evacuating Israel and, in addition, police agencies throughout the state are in need of support in dealing with pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

In declaring the state of emergency, DeSantis wrote that those issues “constitute a major disaster” in Florida.

In his order, DeSantis notes there are more than 20,000 Americans, “including many Floridians,” in Israel who wish to return home but have been prevented from doing so because of commercial flight cancellations and other travel and logistics disruptions due to the ongoing war in the region.”

Many major airlines, including U.S. carriers Delta, American and United, have ceased flights to and from Tel Aviv since the conflict began.

“We will not leave our residents behind,” DeSantis posted on X. “To the many Floridians who are stuck in Israel, trying to get home — help is on the way.”

DeSantis’ order, however, isn’t clear on how he intends to rescue those Floridians still in Israel.

DeSantis also states in the order Florida is “home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world” and the attack on Israel has prompted pro-Palestinian demonstrations and other activities intended to intimidate and threaten the Jewish population and support Hamas terrorists.

The emergency declaration allows DeSantis to activate both Florida National Guard and State Guard resources to support local police and sheriff’s departments across the state to curb potential violence at pro-Palestinian demonstrations “and to protect the Jewish population in their schools and places of worship,” the order states.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.