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☆ Opinion: I’m an American stranded in Gaza. Why isn’t the US doing more to bring us home?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Stephanie Griffith | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

We were at my wife’s parents house a couple of days into the war when there was an airstrike about 100 feet from my parents’ house. We all huddled together until we had to leave northern Gaza and head south. And my wife’s parents are between northern Gaza and Gaza City itself. And all they would say is, “We don’t have any information.”Listen, we live in northern Gaza. We’ve been told by the State Department transit will be allowed for Americans and their immediate relatives, meaning spouse and children if they’re not American.

Persons: Abood Okal, Wafa Abuzayda, Yousef, —, Wafa, Gazans, Okal, we’ve, ”, John Kirby, We’re, ” Kirby, ” Okal, Stephanie Griffith, hadn’t, let’s, ’, we’re, she’s, Abood, You’ve, haven’t, ” Abood, “, Israel, They’re, everyone’s, We’ve, they’re Organizations: CNN, Palestinian Health Ministry, Israeli Defense Forces, State Department, White House, West Bank, IDF, State, Palestinian Locations: Gaza, Massachusetts, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, New Jersey, Ramallah, Gaza City, Jerusalem, Cairo, Washington ,, Rafah, American, Cambridge

Aid convoy trucks waiting at the Rafah border crossing to enter Gaza from Egypt on Thursday. As Gaza grapples with an escalating humanitarian crisis, the prospect of getting aid through the closed Rafah border crossing with Egypt has taken on particular urgency. Hopes are high that the aid trucks would be able to cross into Gaza on Friday, according to European Union officials coordinating aid from the bloc. The American, U.N. and Egyptian officials are discussing who would carry out those cargo inspections, a person directly familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity to speak about the delicate negotiations. “All of Gaza is waiting for the aid,” Wael Abu Omar, the spokesman for Hamas’s interior ministry, said Thursday.

Persons: Biden, Israel, ”, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “, António Guterres, Martin Griffiths, Samar Abu Elouf, Wael Abu Omar, Israel readies, Abood, Okal, ” Iyad Abuheweila, Yazbek Organizations: Diplomats, European Union, World Health Organization, International Committee, The New York Times, Palestinian Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Egypt, Israel, Arish, Palestine, Cairo, U.S, Samar, E.U, Palestinian American, Jerusalem

Having seen several previous Israeli strikes, Shawa told CNN they were certain it would be targeted. Born in Seattle to an American mother and Palestinian father, Shawa is one of an estimated 500-600 Palestinian-Americans in Gaza. It’s an impossible situation to be in.”Trapped with no way outEven if Shawa decided to leave Gaza, he can’t right now. “We anticipate that the situation at the Rafah crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable,” the US State Department advised US citizens. Despite the dire situation the Palestinian-Americans face, they at least have some hope of being able to leave Gaza soon – a remote prospect for those without alternative passports.

Persons: Jason Shawa, Shawa, Zainab, Malak, Najla, we’re, Abdulla Okal, Haneen, –, Nabil Alshurafa, Naela Elshorafa, Nabil Alshurafa “, ” Alshurafa, “, haven’t, ”, Ahmad Hasaballah, I’ve, Lena Beseiso, Beseiso –, Haneen Okal, Abdulla, ” Shawa, aren’t, Shawa’s, Jason Shawa's, Jason Shawa “, Alshurafa Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, US Embassy, US State Department, Palestinian Ministry of Interior, US, Department’s, State Department Locations: Gaza City, Palestinian, Gaza, Seattle, American, Rafah, United States, New Jersey, Kuwait, Camarillo , California, Egypt, Jerusalem, Salt Lake City, Israel, U.S

For many Palestinian Americans, there’s a sense of helplessness and hopelessness as they struggle to hear from loved ones in Gaza. But even before this week, getting to Gaza to visit family for Palestinian Americans was a lengthy, exhausting and difficult experience, and most people who live Gaza can never leave. Unlike Israeli Americans, Palestinian Americans say they have never been afforded the opportunity to freely help their loved ones in times of crisis. Palestinian Americans say they’ve never had the option to do the same. Othman’s extended family lives in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank, but her husband’s family is in Gaza.

Persons: Laila El, Haddad, “ I’m, ” El, Mohammad AbuLughod, Deanna Othman’s, ” Othman, She'd, Abdulla, Okal's, “, Haneen Okal, they’ve, “ It’s, ”, Othman, Nahed Elrayes, Elrayes, ” Elrayes, AbuLughod, Israel —, Amirah AbuLughod, Hani Almadhoun, ” Almadhoun, ” ____ Noreen Nasir Organizations: Israel, Gaza Health Ministry, Associated Press, United Nations, AP, State Department, U.S, Palestinian, West Bank, USA Locations: Columbia , Maryland, El, Gaza, Palestinian, Israel, Milwaukee, AbuLughod, Chicago, Palestinian American, New Jersey, Egypt, Rafah, Maryland, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, New York

☆ Hamas tells Gaza residents to stay home as Israel ground offensive looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Israeli tanks and military vehicles take position near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, October 13, 2023. As a ground invasion appears imminent, both sides are engaging in psychological warfare. Well-Known Gaza Hamas cleric Wael Al-Zard was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, Hamas said. “We tell the people of northern Gaza and from Gaza City, stay put in your homes, and your places. The Israeli military has already destroyed roads, making it nearly impossible to escape, in addition to the relentless airstrikes.

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, Talal Okal, Okal, Wael Al, Zard, “, ”, Eyad, ” Bozom, Michael Georgy, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Palestinian, Hamas, Saturday, Reuters, Hamas Interior Ministry, Thomson Locations: Israel's, Gaza, Israel, Nakba, Palestine, Gaza City, Beach, America, Europe, Shifa

☆ Palestinian-Americans stuck in Gaza say they feel trapped, abandoned by US Embassy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Yahya Abou-Ghazala | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

“This is not secure because along the way there is a chance that you will be targeted,” given the constant barrage of Israeli airstrikes. Erik Marmor/AP Six-month-old Sama Alwadia is rescued from the rubble in Gaza City on October 9. Ramez Mahmoud/AP A plume of smoke rises in the sky over Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on October 9. Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times/Redux Fire and smoke rise from Gaza City following an Israeli airstrike on October 8. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 8.

Persons: Said Shaath, ‘, “, Shaath, Lena Beseiso, Beseiso –, –, ”, Beseiso, ” Beseiso, Eden Guez, Violeta Santos Moura, Mohammed Salem, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Fatima Shbair, Belal Khaled, Amir Cohen, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Ali Jadallah, Mohammed Abed, Oren Ziv, Mohammed Saber, Ronen Zvulun, Majdi, Ilia Yefimovich, Ramez Mahmoud, Mahmud Hams, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Tamir Kalifa, Khan, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Jalaa Marey, Oded, Khan Younis, Ahmad Hasballah, Samar Abu, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Tsafrir, Ahmad Gharabli, Baz Ratner, Mustafa Hassona, Ilan Rosenberg, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, Abdulla Okal, Haneen, ” Okal, Okal, Joe Biden, ” Biden Organizations: CNN, US Embassy, Nova Festival, Reuters, Anadolu Agency, Getty, West Bank, New York Times, Rockets, Israel's, United Nations, Palestinian, Reuters Police, AP, Reuters Rockets, State Department, Embassy, National Security Council Locations: Gaza, Palestinian, “ U.S, Rafah, Egypt, Jerusalem, Fresno , California, Rimal, Salt Lake City, Israel, Ashkelon, Gaza City, Israeli, Tel Aviv, AFP, Beitar Ilit, Mount Herzl, Sderot, Ramat Gan, Khan Younis, Kiryat Shmona, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion, ”, New Jersey

One Israeli security source told Reuters a ground offensive now looked inevitable. One Israeli security source, who like others declined to be named, said he believed an Israeli ground invasion was "not preventable because of the heavy price that we paid. Smashing up roads has been a typical tactic in the prelude to two previous Israeli ground assaults in Gaza, disrupting communications and the movement of Hamas and other militants. Giora Eiland, a former head of Israel's National Security Council, said airstrikes in Gaza "seemed very similar to previous Israeli operations" but that these tactics had not neutralised Hamas in the past. Hamas has already proved to be a tougher and more capable force than Israel had expected by launching its Oct. 7 attack.

Persons: Yamen Hamad, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Giora, Eiland, Gilad Shalit, Talal Okal, Amir, David Tzur, Nidal al, Jonathan Saul, Edmund Blair Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Reuters, Israel's National Security Council, Foreign, Israel's Border Police, Thomson Locations: Israel, Israel JERUSALEM, GAZA, Gaza, Beit Hanoun, Gaza's, Iran, Jerusalem

☆ Palestinians accept first Saudi ambassador
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

At a ceremony in Jordan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's diplomatic adviser Majdi al-Khalidi received a copy of the credentials of Ambassador Nayef Al-Sudairi as a non-resident envoy, official Palestinian news agency Wafa said. Palestinian analyst Talal Okal said the diplomatic appointment was a half-step toward an official Saudi representation office in the occupied West Bank. "It is also a message Saudi Arabia was committed to the rights of the Palestinians in a fully sovereign state," he added. PALESTINIAN CONCERNPalestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said last week that Abbas's Western-backed Palestinian Authority is hoping to engage with Saudi Arabia over their concerns about the potential normalisation with Israel. Saudi Arabia has quietly accepted the so-called Abraham Accords that have normalised ties between Israel and Gulf states United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas's, Majdi al, Khalidi, Nayef Al, Wafa, al, Talal Okal, Riyad al, Maliki, Abraham, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nidal al, Ali Swafta, Maayan Lubell, Hatem Maher, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian, Saudi, Abraham Accords, United, NBC, Thomson Locations: RAMALLAH, West, Saudi Arabian, Israel, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Saudi, Jordan, Palestinian, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Gaza, Ramallah, Maayan, Jerusalem, Cairo

Some Arabs said they hoped the crisis would lead to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political demise. Others expressed hope of more far-reaching consequences for Israel, which fought numerous wars with Arab adversaries after its establishment in 1948 and occupies land the Palestinians seek for a state. The sentiment was echoed by Mohammad Abdullatif in Syria, from which Israel captured the Golan Heights in a 1967 war. Gaza political analyst Talal Okal said the crisis had brought a sense of relief among Palestinians. "But there is also a fear, they may carry out military adventures or wars to escape the internal crisis."

New hardline ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir, a settler from Hebron, will be in charge of police as national security minister, while Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right politician, will have wide control over policy in the West Bank. "Fatah sons, Hamas sons, sons of the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front are working together within unprecedented resistance formations," Maamar said. Under Israeli policies designed to create economic security incentives, 20,000 Gazans are allowed to cross into Israel for work. For its part, Palestinian Authority officials say Hamas is funding some armed cells in the West Bank, in part to weaken the PA, and Israeli officials say they are also closely watching Hamas' moves in the West Bank. Israel should "weaken the Hamas militarily as much as possible" while helping to improve conditions for Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank to reduce the potential for conflict, Ben-Barak said.

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