(WXYZ) — 30-year-old Lebanese American Mike Hashim has been glued to social media ever since the Israel-Hamas war escalated into Lebanon.
"Waking up to the news of an 8-year-old dying while she is sleeping, and it breaks my heart to see a whole family being taken out; when does this stop?" said Hashim.
Mike's extended family lives east of Beirut, in the Beqaa Valley, closer to the Syrian border. Up until yesterday, the area was deemed safe.
"But one of the IDF spokespersons this morning went up and said you need to leave the Beqaa valley," said Hashim.
Since then, Mike has been calling his cousin, desperately to hear his voice.
"No answer. Cuts off right away," said Hashim as he showed 7 News Detroit reporter Faraz Javed his phone.
Mike has been hearing of network disruptions due to cellphone towers being taken out in the area.
"When you see that, do you fear the worst?" asked Faraz.
"Absolutely. Is he under a rumble? Is he dead in a street somewhere? Because, at this moment, Israel is not sparing anyone," said Hashim.
Over 1,100 Israelis were killed on October 7th. Since then, Israel has carried out various operations against Hamas in Gaza and limited missions against Hezbollah in South Lebanon, but in the past few weeks, the war has escalated, covering the West Bank and now across Lebanon.
As per Lebanon's health ministry, over 490 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured as Israeli strikes continue across Lebanon.
According to the health ministry, among the dead are women, children, and medics. While the Israeli military says they've struck more than 800 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.
"I was just on the phone this morning with someone who lost their first cousin and her three children in the bombing in the south of Lebanon with no notice, no warning," said State Representative Farhat.
This is just one of many calls State Representative Alabas Farhat has received in the past few days from constituents as the destruction continues in Lebanon.
"These are innocent civilians, they aren't military combatants, these schools, hospitals, residential homes that are being leveled," said State Representative Farhat.
"So, as of now, there is no way out of Lebanon?" asked Faraz.
"The embassy hasn't been giving any responses. I'm working closely with our federal partners, US Senator Gary Peters's office and others, to get a response to get the US to the right thing, and get their citizens out of there and also to get a ceasefire, let's be very clear, a ceasefire will save lives, across the board, it saves lives in Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine," said State Representative Farhat.
According to Senator Peters's Office, the senator led a group of his colleagues in urging the Administration to provide protection for the estimated 12,000 Lebanese individuals currently living in the United States.
In the letter sent to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senator Peters requested that the United States designate Temporary Protected Status for Lebanon. This initial designation allows eligible individuals to remain safely in the United States for 18 months and give them the ability to work legally to support themselves.
Following Peters’ push, the White House announced on July 26, 2024, that it would authorize Deferred Enforced Departure, a similar type of protection, for Lebanese nationals in the United States.
Peters’ office is continuing to monitor the situation in Lebanon and assess what other assistance is needed to support his constituents. Any Michigan residents in need of assistance related to this issue can reach out to Senator Peters’ Detroit office at (313) 226-6020.
Meanwhile, as the war unfolds in Lebanon, the US State Department has posted a travel advisory urging American citizens to depart Lebanon as soon as possible.
Representative Farhat is also calling for the Biden Administration to immediately sanction evacuation flights as well as grant asylum to Lebanese who have family ties to the US and are directly impacted by the war.
"We can see from Israel's current aggressions in the West Bank and Gaza, there is nowhere safe for families to go, and in Lebanon, the situation is similar. If you go from the South to Beirut, well, Beirut is being bombed. So where are you left to go?" said State Representative Farhat.
I also contacted the White House to see what more is being done to de-escalate the current situation and the steps that are being taken to reunite American families. So far, I have yet to hear back.
