DETROIT (WXYZ) — The family of a metro Detroit couple stuck in Gaza is pleading for the U.S. government to take action as the conflict between Hamas and Israel wages on.
Their continued pleas comes as President Joe Biden calls for a ceasefire to allow people to evacuate.
Yahya Alarayshi's parents, Zakaria and Laila, are stuck in Gaza.
“The bomb, the strikes of bombing (are) around them literally every single day for the last three-and-a-half weeks, and we want them home. We want them home as soon as possible,” he said.
Alarayshi demands their speedy and safe return with the help of the U.S. government. He said his parents, who are from Livonia, went to Gaza for a vacation to visit family in late September and became stuck when the conflict erupted.
Since then, the family's attorneys with the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) filed a lawsuit demanding the U.S. State Department add the Alarayshi’s to a list of people allowed to cross the border.
“This is a humanitarian crisis like no other that we’ve seen in the last number of years. We feel that our government can just simply do more," attorney Nabih Ayad said.
He continued, "We want you to do more. We want you to take action and evacuate these people. Why is the United States of America only have two out of the 400 people who are evacuated?”
When asked what he thinks the disconnect is, Ayad replied, "I think the disconnect is the State Department and our U.S. government not prioritizing Palestinian-United State citizens in this region. I hate to say this."
"We’re all United States citizens," Ayad said.
He explained that the couple has been to the border six times and got turned away. The homes near where they were staying have been blown up.
The family said Zakaria is sick, has diabetes, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues and is out of medicine.
The ACRL said Zakaria was eventually added to the list and allowed to leave, but his wife Laila was not. So, Zakaria chose to stay there by her side.
Mariam Charara, executive director of the ACRL said, “Mr. Zakaria did inform us that he received a call from Washington D.C. recently and said that they will add her name to the list. So, we’re hoping and praying that’s the case and we’re hoping and praying that that’s what’s going to happen very soon.”
In support of the Alarayshi family and all of the people trapped in Gaza, there is a rally planned this Saturday at Veterans Park in Hamtramck at 2 p.m.
There’s also a March for Palestine planned in Washington D.C. with a group leaving from Michigan.
