Israel blocking 11 American doctors to leave gaza and return home

The medical professionals’ names are Dr. Nimr Ikram (Texas), Dr. Omair Ilyas (California), Dr. Aslam Akhtar (California), Dr. Tarik Elmohd (Florida), Dr. Mohamed Saleh (Colorado), Dr. Sameer Ahmad (California), Dr. Omar Malas (Ohio), Dr. Asad Khan (Texas), Nurse Nor Rizek (Arizona), Nurse Marie Zhang (Ohio), and Dr. Shehzad Batliwala (Texas).

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Greater Los Angeles Area office (CAIR-LA) today called on the Trump administration to demand that the Israeli government allow 11 American medical professionals trapped in Gaza to leave the region and to ensure their safe return home. 

A group of American doctors and nurses volunteering on a medical mission to Gaza have been prevented by the Israeli government from departing from Gaza as planned. The group was scheduled to leave yesterday, Jan. 23, through the Karam Abu Salem crossing but was prevented by Israeli forces.

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said

“These American citizens, who risked their lives to help provide critical medical care to civilians in Gaza, are being prevented from returning home by the same government responsible for the repeated bombing of hospitals and the slaughter of those same civilians. We urge the Trump administration to take immediate action to force the Israeli government to allow these doctors to return home safely. American citizens cannot be held hostage by a rogue foreign government.”