2023-11-02 14:13:11
A family from Massachusetts has left Gaza, after spending weeks afraid that they would be killed amid shelling from Israel.
Medway residents Abood Okal, Wafaa Abuzayda and their 1-year-old son Yousef had been waiting weeks to leave the war-torn territory.
“The Okal Family is overwhelmed with the love and support they have received from home and abroad, but they are also exhausted, physically and emotionally drained, and have a long journey ahead of them back to the United States. The Okal Family expresses its deepest gratitude to their family and friends around the world, the Medway community, the media for sharing their plight and the plight of the hundreds of other Americans trapped in Gaza, their elected officials who fought hard for their return, and the State Department for providing them with safe departure,” a family spokesperson said in a statement Thursday morning.
There was no immediate word on whether the Shafai family of Plymouth had been able to leave Gaza.
This is a breaking news update. Read an earlier version of this story below.
More than 370 Americans stuck in Gaza are on a list of people who could cross the border into Egypt on Thursday, according to NBC News. And two Massachusetts families are waiting for word.
Among them is a family from Medway. Abood Okal, his wife and 1-year-old son have been waiting weeks to leave the war-torn territory. He told NBC10 Boston that it’s been a frustrating wait.
“While we are happy for all that have departed and also for the wounded to be able to get medical treatment, we can’t help but feel a little frustrated that it’s taking longer than we expected. Again, no clear timeline for when we would depart,” said Okal.
The State Department confirmed that fewer than 10 Americans were given permission to leave Gaza through the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday.
This comes as President Joe Biden is now calling for a humanitarian “pause.”
Egyptian and Palestinian officials opened the border to allow a number of injured and about 500 foreign nationals to evacuate the war-torn territory. Only some were able to cross on Wednesday.
Also stuck in Gaza is a family of five from Plymouth.
Hazem and Sanaa Shafai and their three children remain in Gaza fighting sickness, but they are hoping to cross into Egypt as well.
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