5:13 p.m. ET, November 1, 2023
Family Says 81-Year-Old Woman Stuck in Gaza, Urgently Needs Evacuation
An 81-year-old Palestinian-American woman, who recently left the US after three decades, is now trapped in Gaza and her family fears for her life if she isn’t evacuated soon.
“She has visibly lost weight,” said Dina Bseiso, a relative speaking on behalf of the family from the Bay Area. “Though they are surrounded by family, the environment around them is rubble, which makes it challenging”
Bseiso revealed that the elderly woman, for security reasons, remains unnamed and hadn’t traveled far from her California home in 30 years. However, in August, she accompanied her son, who resides in Gaza, to revisit her childhood home.
The woman is currently located in Khan Younis, about 8 miles from the Rafah crossing, and her family is disappointed by the lack of coordinated efforts from the US government to evacuate Palestinian Americans from Gaza. They expressed concern over her depleted medication supply and the scarcity of clean water in the region.
Ghassan Shamieh, an immigration attorney representing the family, stated that the woman is “moving between houses and structures to stay safe.” He has filed a lawsuit against the US State Department on behalf of the family to compel prompt action.
“We feel dehumanized and unequal in this country, despite our contributions,” Bseiso lamented. “Our lives seem to be disregarded.”
Bseiso expressed hope that US officials will instruct them to proceed to the crossing for evacuation; however, previous assurances have proven ineffective.
