Despite Three Known Evacuations Hegazy Family Remains Stranded in Gaza Strip

A journey meant to reunite a family after 20 years, has ended up in the separation of its core members for the past 60 days

By Aishah Schwartz

WASHINGTON, DC (Aug. 21, 2007) The saga of Chandler, Arizona’s Hegazy family continues as a third known evacuation passes while Dr. Mohamed Hegazy’s wife, Sohair (36), and daughters Somaya (19), Asma (18), Israa (15), and sons, Sohaib (14), and Mos’ab (11), remain stranded in the Gaza Strip since June 21, 2007.

Just two weeks into the family’s long-awaited 20-year family reunion, conflict erupted on June 7, 2007 between Fatah and Hamas resulting in Hamas control of the Gaza Strip.

Finding his family to be in eminent danger, Hegazy began the process of trying to gain approval for evacuation from the U.S. Consulate. However, when the family, who are all U.S. citizens, received word that evacuation approval had been granted, Hegazy was astonished to learn that the arrangements were for him only.

At an obvious cross-road, Hegazy was torn between leaving his family behind and staying with them. If he remained in Gaza, the family’s established home and financial security back in the U.S. would surely be jeopardized. It was decided that Hegazy would return - he could only hope and pray that approval for his family’s evacuation would be imminent.

Hegazy was evacuated on June 21, 2007, and since his return to the U.S. he has been fighting an ongoing battle to get his family home.

A Trail of Disappointment

As far as can be determined, based on communications Hegazy has received from Kim Richter of the U.S. Department of State, evacuation efforts on behalf of the Hegazy family are ongoing, but to date hope has been dashed at every turn.

Hegazy’s wife and children were first excluded from the June 21, 2007 evacuation. Then, Hegazy received word from the U.S. Department of State that his family could anticipate being evacuated the week of August 13 – another evacuation that did not come to fruition.

On August 16, Hegazy received word from the Department of State that, “Someone from the Consulate will be calling the families tomorrow afternoon to pass on information regarding the evacuation.”

This was the news Hegazy had been praying for, and he promptly booked a flight to Amman, Jordan in order to be on hand when his family arrived.

In the meantime, the Tucson Citizen reported on August 17, that yet a third known evacuation had taken place and a local family, Husain Gharbia, his wife, Fatina, and their daughters, Ayah, 3, and Tala, 1, were now safe at home. But there would be no such good news for Hegazy.

After arriving in Amman, Hegazy received yet another disappointment. The August 20 evacuation did come off as planned, however, once again, Hegazy’s wife and children were excluded.

Hegazy’s frustration mounted as he learned from the Consulate in Amman that 170 people had been evacuated on August 20 – a stark contrast to the ‘handful’ reportedly evacuated according to the U.S. Department of State.

In a letter addressed Kim Richter of the U.S. Department of State, Hegazy sounded-off:

“I am extremely disappointed and feel betrayed. I hope that I am wrong in this feeling, and a happy ending is in the making for our devastating ordeal. Our Department of State’s and ACS’s policy of inaction in this matter is destroying the future of my children and family.

When you get this message, all of them would have missed the start of their school year and the two University students may have lost the chance to attend this semester. I don’t feel that anyone in our Government, Consulate, or ACS seems to care, or take this issue as seriously as they should. We are betrayed by our government, and we are denied services that we pay for as US taxpayers. My children don’t pay taxes to Hamas, or the government of Palestine so that you abandon them there.”

Renewed Hope

Tuesday morning, August 21 brought word from David Foley, of the Department of State, reassuring Hegazy that the department was doing all they could to get his family evacuated by the end of the week – this, followed-up by written confirmation from Richter. 

While Tuesday’s news offers a glimmer of renewed hope, MAS Freedom (MASF), the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), has continued to work diligently on the Hegazy case - first brought to its attention the second week of August. 

MASF Civil and Human Rights Director, Ibrahim Abdil-Mu’id Ramey has been following up on Executive Director Mahdi Bray’s earlier communications with Senator McCain’s office and the U.S. Department of State, reasserting the necessity of evacuating the Hegazy family as soon as possible.

“The Hegazy family are American citizens and our government has a responsibility to do everything they can to expedite their safe return,” Bray stated.

Hegazy stated, “Three of my children have already missed the first days of the new school year, and my eldest daughters have missed the beginning of, and may now not even be allowed to complete, their first semester of classes at Arizona State University. I am at a loss as to what else I can to do help my family.”

“The fact that the U.S. Department of State has somehow excluded Hegazy’s wife and children from three known evacuations, despite being aware of the family’s extenuating circumstances, is unconscionable,” Ramey stated.

To date the Hegazy family ordeal has included mounting expenses and economic loss, as the family-run real estate business in Scottsdale has been interrupted with the ongoing work to garner the family’s safe return – and now closed completely in Hegazy’s absence, while he is in Jordan facing continued delays in the evacuation process.

Reports also indicate that a Nashville, Tennessee Muslim mother and her three children, remain trapped in the Gaza Strip, turned away after waiting five hours at an Israeli checkpoint because they had not been issued a “special permit” by the American embassy.