Washington & Gaza — According to their relatives, Israeli forces raided their home in the beleaguered Palestinian territory at midnight and captured two young adult American brothers and their Canadian father.
A US Embassy official in Jerusalem, reached by phone from Washington, said American officials were aware of the incident and were following up with Israeli authorities.
The embassy officer provided no information and concluded the phone without mentioning her name. The Israeli foreign ministry and military made no quick comments.
Borak Alagha, 18, and Hashem Alagha, 20, two brothers born in the Chicago area, are among the fewer than 50 US citizens believed to be attempting to flee sealed-off Gaza as the Israel-Hamas conflict enters its fifth month. Many more US green card holders and close relatives of citizens and permanent residents are still struggling and unable to leave, despite US demands, according to their American families and advocates.
Cousin Yasmeen Elagha, a law student at Northwestern University, said Israeli forces entered the family house in al-Muwasi, near the southern city of Khan Younis, about 5 a.m. Gaza time on Thursday.
According to the relative, the troops tied up and blindfolded the family’s women and children before placing them outside the home.
According To Family Members, Two American Brothers, Ages 18 And 20, Were Detained During An Israeli Raid In Gaza.
The Israelis abducted the two American brothers, their Canadian citizen father, a mentally challenged uncle, and two other adult male relatives, who are still missing, according to Elagha.
Men from a neighbouring residence were also hauled away. Other adult male members of another Alagha home were also imprisoned, totalling around 20 people, according to the US cousin.
The detentions were also described on a Gaza-based family social media site.
State Department representatives in Washington had no immediate comment on the reported arrest of the American brothers.
The brothers were one of three Americans detained this week by Israeli soldiers while Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in the area attempting to mediate a cease-fire and hostage release agreement with Israel’s ally and Arab officials.
Since Oct. 7, when surprise Hamas strikes killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel, US officials claim to have assisted 1,300 Americans, green-card holders, and their qualified immediate family members in leaving Gaza. Hamas also captured over 250 hostages, with several dozen still detained in Gaza.
According To Family Members, Two American Brothers, Ages 18 And 20, Were Detained During An Israeli Raid In Gaza.
According to Palestinian health officials in Gaza, the continuing Israeli military onslaught has killed over 27,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are civilians.
State Department officials have not publicly stated how many persons for whom the US has requested permission to leave are still in Gaza, citing the “fluidity” of the situation.
The sole authorised evacuation from Gaza is via the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Israel and Egypt control the exit list. US authorities say they are working with the two US allies to add more names of Americans, US citizens, and their close relatives who want to leave to the list. The Alagha brothers’ family claims they were among those unable to get their names on the evacuation lists.
During the battle, Israeli security forces detained a large number of Palestinian military-age men in Gaza before releasing some of them. Israel claims that mass detentions are a crucial aspect of combatting Hamas. Palestinians claim Israel is unlawfully including a large number of civilian adult males in its sweeps.
According To Family Members, Two American Brothers, Ages 18 And 20, Were Detained During An Israeli Raid In Gaza.
Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, Samaher Esmail, a 46-year-old Palestinian American woman, was seized on Monday. The Israeli military stated that the woman was arrested for “incitement on social media” and kept for questioning.
The US Embassy in Israel stated Thursday there were no updates on her case.
SOURCE – (AP)
