Sen. Tammy DuckworthD-Ill., the American surgeon who gave him critical care when he was injured in the Iraq war 20 years ago. Adam says he owes Hamawy.
So he works the phones to help Hamawy Trapped in Gaza return safely to the United States with other aid workers
“We’re shaking every tree and urging everyone to make sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure the safe passage of these doctors,” Duckworth said in an interview Tuesday.
Hamawy is one of 10 American doctors and 19 health workers from the Palestinian American Medical Association who traveled to Gaza this month to provide emergency care at the European Hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis district.
The group was barred from leaving Gaza on Monday due to the border closure at Rafah, the medical team said in a news release.
The Biden administration, citing humanitarian concerns, has warned Israel against a large-scale occupation of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1 million people have taken refuge.
The State Department said it continues to engage directly and actively with the governments of Israel and Egypt to advocate for the medical team’s safe departure from Gaza.
“We believe more can be done here, and this is another example of why it is so important and important to keep the Rafah border crossing open,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters Tuesday. “Not only for the appropriate flow of humanitarian aid, but also for the safe departure of foreign nationals.”
Duckworth, who said he contacted Hamawy, said he and other aid workers did not have basic medical supplies and were treating people in a United Nations vehicle. this was shot on monday.
“They’re severely restricted, he texted me,” Duckworth said.
“They are short of all medical supplies; food and water are scarce. And you know the situation there right now is pretty dire,” he added.
The Palestinian American Medical Association did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
The Biden administration is monitoring the issue closely and is working to see if it can get the group out of Gaza. The US official said that no other details were shared.
“We’re continuing to work to see if we can get them out, but we don’t have much more to share at this time, we’ll let you know if that changes,” the official told NBC News.
Duckworth said he had a “very productive conversation” with Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog, in addition to reaching out to the White House’s National Security Council and various groups with ties within the region.
One Type in XDuckworth called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure the protection of aid workers and civilians.
“The Netanyahu administration should work to open the Rafah crossing, support evacuations and allow more aid,” he said.
Like many of his Democratic colleagues, Duckworth, a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, has expressed concern about civilian casualties in Gaza since the war began last year. He also criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the war.
Duckworth, a former member of the Army National Guard, lost both legs and partial use of his right arm in 2004 after a grenade was thrown from his helicopter during the Iraq War. He credits Hamawy with providing life-saving care.
“I am alive thanks to Dr. Hamawy and the doctors and medical staff who saved me in Iraq. He was there. He took care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself,” Duckworth said in an interview. “He’s certainly very near and dear to my heart because he saved my life 20 years ago.”
Hailing from Princeton, New Jersey, Hamawy is a father of four. He was deployed to Iraq from May 2004 to February 2005, according to an Army spokesman, who said Hamawy served in the New Jersey National Guard and served as a plastic surgeon and general surgeon in the Army and a flight surgeon in Medicine. Body.
Monica Alba and Courtney Kube contributed.