Posted on Nov 18, 2023
‘No help came’: The story of a Palestinian-American family that was trapped in Gaza
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Helal Kaoud hugged her father and brother goodbye in late September as they set out on a trip to visit relatives. At the time, she had no idea the long-awaited vacation would thrust her family into a nightmare.
Esam Kaoud, a 52-year-old California resident, took his 20-year-old son Ameer Kaoud to see the family’s homeland for the first time. It was a homecoming of sorts for Esam too, as he hadn’t been back to his place of birth in two decades. They headed for Al-Shati, a refugee camp along the Mediterranean coast in northern Gaza, where extended family excitedly awaited them.
During those first few days, Helal’s family group chat radiated pure vacation joy. Videos showed her brother, father and uncles enjoying their trip and the company of the relatives they were staying with in Gaza.
Esam Kaoud, a 52-year-old California resident, took his 20-year-old son Ameer Kaoud to see the family’s homeland for the first time. It was a homecoming of sorts for Esam too, as he hadn’t been back to his place of birth in two decades. They headed for Al-Shati, a refugee camp along the Mediterranean coast in northern Gaza, where extended family excitedly awaited them.
During those first few days, Helal’s family group chat radiated pure vacation joy. Videos showed her brother, father and uncles enjoying their trip and the company of the relatives they were staying with in Gaza.
‘No help came’: The story of a Palestinian-American family that was trapped in Gaza
Posted from wbur.org
Israel
Palestine
Family
Posted 6 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Helal says her brother, Ameer, visited them in the tents while he was awaiting evacuation into Egypt.
“He said it was a sad situation, seeing them like that, when a couple of weeks ago, he saw them happy in their home, and now they’re not and they’re in a tent” says Helal. “They don’t even know if they have a home to return to.”
The war continues to devastate the region, with Israeli airstrikes turning residential areas into rubble and killing more than 11,470 people thus far, according to Palestinian health officials in Gaza.
Helal and her family remain worried for the rest of their relatives’ safety. She continues to appeal to American officials to urge Israel to put an end to this war.
“It’s just a hard experience for us to be Palestinian in America knowing that America is not doing anything for our Palestinian family in Gaza,” says Helal. “We need a ceasefire. We need all of Palestine to be safe.”
..."Helal says her brother, Ameer, visited them in the tents while he was awaiting evacuation into Egypt.
“He said it was a sad situation, seeing them like that, when a couple of weeks ago, he saw them happy in their home, and now they’re not and they’re in a tent” says Helal. “They don’t even know if they have a home to return to.”
The war continues to devastate the region, with Israeli airstrikes turning residential areas into rubble and killing more than 11,470 people thus far, according to Palestinian health officials in Gaza.
Helal and her family remain worried for the rest of their relatives’ safety. She continues to appeal to American officials to urge Israel to put an end to this war.
“It’s just a hard experience for us to be Palestinian in America knowing that America is not doing anything for our Palestinian family in Gaza,” says Helal. “We need a ceasefire. We need all of Palestine to be safe.”
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