DETROIT (WXYZ) — 7 Action News first told you about the Alarayshi family earlier this week. Zakaria and Laila Alarayshi went to Gaza in late September and now they are stuck in the middle of a war zone.
Their children who are in the metro Detroit area are desperately trying to get them back home. They’ve recently filed a lawsuit against two United States government officials.
“We’re trying to get them out of there as soon as possible,” said Yahya Alarayshi.
Alarayshi’s family came to the metro Detroit area 23 years ago. His parents went to their hometown of Gaza to visit his siblings but what was supposed to be a vacation has turned into a nightmare.
“Right now they’re not in shape or form of safe area, they’re still there,” Alarayshi said.
Yahya and his wife Lisa reached out to the Arab Civil Rights League and the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee for help in getting his parents home.
“The ACRL has been in regular contact with the state department’s Counselor Affairs Division diligently reaching out every day investing countless hours,” said Mariam Charara, executive director of ACRL. “Unfortunately responses received were consistently limited to advising the family to fill out a crisis form with no information provided regarding evacuation.”
On Saturday, the Alarayshi family along with the ACRL and ADC announced that they filed a lawsuit against U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
“So we’re calling upon our Secretary of State, our secretary of defense to take some action to make sure these individuals are secure,” said Nabih Ayad, founder, Arab Civil Rights League.
Meanwhile for the Alarayshi family, they just want their loved ones back home sooner rather than later.
“I have hope,” said Lisa Alarayshi. “I have hope in God that he will bring them home safe and he will keep them safe no matter what’s happening around them.”
