American parents and their one-year-old son are STILL stranded in Gaza as Biden ... trends now
Americans are expected to leave Gaza on Wednesday for the first time since Hamas attacked Israel more than three weeks prior, President Joe Biden confirmed.
Conflicting reports emerged this week over whether U.S. citizens would be part of the first wave of foreign nationals allowed to leave Gaza at the Rafah crossing into Egypt.
A family from Massachusetts is still stuck in the Palestinian enclave and says they were told by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo that there is 'no timeline for U.S. citizens to depart' Gaza.
'The State Department told me by email last night that they have not yet confirmed departure for its citizens, including the Okal Family,' Sammy Nabulsi, a lawyer for the family, told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.
But Biden said on Wednesday that Americans are among those departing the Hamas stronghold in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
'Today, thanks to American leadership, we secured safe passage for wounded Palestinians and for foreign nationals to exit Gaza,' the president posted to X, formerly Twitter. 'We expect American citizens to exit today, and we expect to see more depart over the coming days. We won't let up working to get Americans out of Gaza.'
Abood Okal (right), his wife Wafa Sufian (left) and their one-year-old son have been trapped in Gaza since Hamas terrorist attacks more than three weeks prior. The U.S. citizens from Massachusetts claim they still do not have a safe or viable path toward leaving the Gaza Strip
People with foreign passports wait at the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt after it opened this week – and following a negotiated deal to allow foreign nationals, including Americans, to leave the Palestinian enclave amid Israeli counterstrikes
The president reiterate the sentiment during remarks at a farm in Minnesota later in the day Wednesday.
'My administration continues to work around the clock to unite those families,' he said of those split up due and stranded due to the conflict.
'We're not going to give up. Period. And I am optimistic, but then, I'm an optimist.'
Nabulsi claims Americans are excluded from a list of foreign nationals allowed to leave.
The lawyer of the family stuck in Gaza told DailyMail.com that the list of those permitted to cross from Gaza to Egypt are passport holders from Japan, Austria, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Jordan, Australia, Czech Republic and Finland.
'On the list of approved foreign nationals, there was a separate group of NGO employees/aid workers,' said Nabulsi. 'I am aware of at least two U.S. citizens who were part of the NGO group that was permitted to cross. I do not know of additional Americans beyond the two.'
But State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said Wednesday that Americans were among those let out of Gaza into Egypt.
He also said U.S. citizens are being provided specific days they will be permitted to leave, and told those waiting to get out of the Strip to monitor their email – where he said they will receive guidance in the next 24-72 hours.
Belarusian outlet Nexta is reporting that about a dozen Americans were among those let out into Egypt on Wednesday. It's possible these individuals were dual citizens or part of that NGO list.
Nexta notes that 150 people crossed the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
Abood Okal, his wife and their one-year-old son are all trapped in Gaza.
The family, from Medway, Massachusetts, told their attorney Nabulsi that they are still not permitted safe leave from Gaza.
Okal and his wife and young child have been holed-up in a
