Texas mother tries to help husband trapped in Gaza

Families all throughout the world are struggling with dread and uncertainty as a result of the horrific battle between Israel and Hamas. As the situation worsens, one such family—which has strong links to Chicago—is frantically trying to find a way out of Gaza. Longtime Chicagoan John Rauschenberger shares the heartbreaking situation of his daughter Emilee Rauschenberger, her husband, who was born in Palestine, and their five children, who are presently stuck in Gaza due to continuous rocket assaults and the intensifying conflict.

Imprisoned in Gaza:

Over the weekend, Emilee and her family were in Gaza visiting their in-law relatives when their vacation took an unexpected and tragic turn. After a recent incident, Israel began striking locations in the Gaza Strip that are controlled by Hamas and sent ground soldiers into the area, trapping the Rauschenberger family in a conflict area with no way out.

Severe Attempts at Evasion:

The family has been hopping from safe houses over the last four days in an attempt to get to the Rafah border crossing into Egypt. But as negotiations with the individual countries continue, border crossings with Egypt and Israel have been closed, leaving hundreds of refugees—including Emilee’s family—stranded.

Strong Request for Evacuation:

John Rauschenberger has made two requests to the US State Department asking for help in getting his daughter and other Americans who are stuck in Gaza evacuated. Disappointingly, the State Department’s reaction was that there isn’t a clear plan in place to evacuate Americans from Gaza at this time.

“We are discussing this with our counterparts in Israel and Egypt and are exploring options based on the security situation on the ground and what is possible,” a U.S. State Department official said in an email statement. The safety and security of American people abroad is the top priority for the U.S. Department of State.”

Fear of Damage to Collateral:

As the battle rages on, John Rauschenberger’s biggest concern is the possibility of collateral damage. He fears for his daughter’s, son-in-law’s, and five grandchildren’s safety as missiles rain down and their escape plan becomes unclear.

Requesting Assistance:

Americans in need of help are advised by the State Department to contact emergency hotlines or fill out a crisis intake form on their website. The Rauschenberger family is still in the dark and needs to leave Gaza immediately as the situation worsens despite these avenues.