(LOS ANGELES, CA – 11/8/2023) – The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today welcomed Project ANAR’s lawsuit filed in the Central District of California on behalf of three United States citizens currently trapped in Gaza.
SEE: CAIR-LA Hosts Press Conference on Behalf of Palestinian Americans Trapped in Gaza
Esam Kaoud, Ameer Kaoud, and Nezam Kaoud are the immediate family members of CAIR-LA clients who have pleaded for the men’s evacuation since the start of Israel’s total siege and bombardment of Gaza over 30 days ago. The lawsuit is part of a wider effort spearheaded by the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in Michigan to bring American citizens back home from Gaza.
U.S. members of the Kaoud family have been working relentlessly alongside CAIR-LA and a coalition of advocates to seek family reunification and safety for their loved ones in Gaza. The lawsuit brought by Project ANAR was filed against the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, in their official capacities, for failing to evacuate Palestinian-Americans from an armed conflict the same way they did for Israeli American citizens in Israel. The Department of State and Department of Defense are responsible for addressing the safety and welfare ofallAmerican citizens abroad.
The Kaoud men listed in the lawsuit have already attempted to cross the Rafah border five times but have faced repeated denials of entry into Egypt. They remain trapped in Israel’s increasingly untenable offensive against Gaza, which has indiscriminately killed over 10,000 Palestinians, including more than 4,000 children. Those trapped in Gaza have been deprived of humanitarian access to clean water, food, medicine, fuel, electricity, and basic lifesaving aid.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Managing Attorney Dina Chehata, Esq. said:
“Helal, Dooneya, and Shamiss have been tirelessly advocating to get their family back home from what has become the most well-documented and horrifying humanitarian crisis I have witnessed in my lifetime. We are seeing in real time the epic failure of the United States government to get all of its citizens home. Families like the Kaoud family are being separated with no rhyme or reason, and the Rafah border crossing has quite literally become the thin line between life and death. The Kaoud brothers have put down roots in this country—they planted seeds here, raised their children here, paid their taxes here, and bought into the dream of equality. Their lives are just as precious as any other American life, and our government must do everything in its power to bring them home now
In a statement, Project ANAR Immigration Attorney Sara Kohgadai said:
“The United States must not abandon Palestinian Americans in Gaza. As we call on the government to reunite the Kaoud family, we also urge the administration to call for a ceasefire to ensure that families in Gaza can actually reach safety. We filed this lawsuit because we see through the government’s excuses for inaction, as we know firsthand that the U.S. has the power and resources to assist these families immediately
In a joint statement, Helal and Dooneya Kaoud said:
“It has been 30 days since we have been advocating for our family. We feel like we are being treated as second-class citizens, and our country is letting us down more and more every day. It becomes more and more dangerous every day in Gaza, not to mention the medical conditions that my dad and uncle have, with no access to medication or clean water, and literally being starved to death. Thirty days that we have been begging our government to save their own citizens
CAIR-LA applauds Project ANAR, the ACRL, and ADC for their efforts to assist families stranded in Gaza. If you have loved ones stuck in Gaza or if you know of others who do, please call the urgent hotline at (888) 806-3822.
If you or someone you know are the victim of a hate crime or incident, contact CAIR-LA’s Civil Rights department at (714) 776-1177 or click here.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT:CAIR-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 oreelkadi@cair.com
