Current:Home > FinanceAmerican struggles with guilt after evacuating Gaza: "Guilty to eat, guilty to sleep"-InfoLens
American struggles with guilt after evacuating Gaza: "Guilty to eat, guilty to sleep"
View Date:2025-01-11 17:39:34
Naela Elshorafa, an American who was visiting her ill mother in Gaza when the Israel-Hamas war broke out, reunited with her son on Saturday at her home near Los Angeles. She's happy to be home, but says she is struggling with guilt.
"Guilty to eat, guilty to sleep, guilty to take a shower, because I knew about my family over there ... the life they have now," she told CBS News.
Naela Elshorafa's trip to Gaza was originally slated for 10 days. It took a drastic turn when Israeli missiles began to rain down on targets in Gaza in response to Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israeli soldiers and civilians. She was caught in the conflict for a month, and tried four times to cross the Egypt-Gaza border.
Elshorafa's son, Nabil Elshorafa, thought he would never see his mother again — and weeks ago, was bracing for the worst.
"I'm kind of just preparing myself right now where I, I get a phone call that tells me my mother's not alive," Nabil Elshorafa said in late October.
He grew increasingly desperate, until she was finally able to leave the Palestinian territory.
"We say 'Alhamdulillah,' thank God, praise be to God that she made it out," said Nabil Elshorafa.
Naela Elshorafa is one of about 400 Americans who evacuated Gaza as a result of weeks of negotiations involving the U.S. She said she is glad to be out, but "not fully happy" as her sick mother and other relatives were left behind.
"I hope I can get my family out, you know, because I left half of my heart over there," she said.
Nabil Elshorafa said 19 of their family members have been killed in the war, and that the toll is rising daily.
"There's not a single individual that has family in Gaza that hasn't lost someone," he said.
He hopes negotiations, which facilitated his mother's escape, can also bring peace to the region.
"We can speak our way out of this war. We can negotiate to solve the problem," he said.
- In:
- Hamas
- Israel
- Gaza Strip
Adriana Diaz is a CBS News correspondent based in Chicago and is the anchor of Saturday's edition of the "CBS Weekend News."
TwitterveryGood! (6)
Related
- Ford agrees to pay up to $165 million penalty to US government for moving too slowly on recalls
- 3 falcon chicks hatch atop the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City
- Fired up about barbecue costs this Memorial Day? Blame the condiments.
- Lenny Kravitz on inspiration behind new album, New York City roots and more
- Will Trump’s hush money conviction stand? A judge will rule on the president-elect’s immunity claim
- Man throws flaming liquid on New York City subway, burns fellow rider
- California teenager arrested after violent swarm pounded and kicked a deputy’s car
- Republican-appointed University of Wisconsin regent refuses to step down when term ends
- Georgia's humbling loss to Mississippi leads college football winners and losers for Week 11
- WNBA heads to Toronto with first international team as league expands
Ranking
- Stop What You're Doing—Moo Deng Just Dropped Her First Single
- Winnipeg Jets promote Scott Arniel to replace retired coach Rick Bowness
- Nevada voter ID initiative can appear on 2024 ballot with enough signatures, state high court says
- Man United wins the FA Cup after stunning Man City 2-1 in the final
- Let Demi Moore’s Iconic Fashion Give You More Inspiration
- Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Star Kyle Richards Has Been Using This Lip Gloss for 15 Years
- Man convicted of murder in death of Washington state police officer shot by deputy
- Five-time WNBA All-Star understands Caitlin Clark's growing pains: 'Happens to all of us'
Recommendation
-
Lala Kent Swears by This Virgo-Approved Accessory and Shares Why Stassi Schroeder Inspires Her Fall Style
-
Republican-appointed University of Wisconsin regent refuses to step down when term ends
-
National Wine Day 2024 deals, trends and recs: From crisp white wines to barrel-aged reds
-
Richard M. Sherman, who fueled Disney charm in ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘It’s a Small World,’ dies at 95
-
Deommodore Lenoir contract details: 49ers ink DB to $92 million extension
-
Forecasters warn Oklahoma may see dangerous tornadoes as Texas bakes in record heat
-
FA Cup final live updates: Manchester City vs. Manchester United lineups, score, highlights
-
French Open 2024: Here’s how to watch on TV, betting odds and more you should know