Family members distraught over 2 Palestinian American young men from Chicago area detained in Gaza
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. (CBS) -- Family members of two Palestinian American young men from the Chicago area say the men are being detained in Gaza.
The U.S. State Department is looking into claims they were taken by the Israeli military. Meanwhile, other members of their family had just gotten home from Gaza Thursday after being trapped there for months.
At age 84 and 87, the grandparents of Yasmeen Elagha are finally safe out of the war-torn Gaza strip.
"We're elated that our grandparents are back here safe with us," said Elagha. "There hasn't been a moment that I've left their side."
Since the fighting in Gaza started, there has been a constant push to get them back to Oakbrook Terrace with family.
"At the same time, we're sad they had to leave their homeland," said Elagha.
Yet days after finally leaving Palestine, news came of the detainment of more family members.
"I've lost over 120 members of my family, at and this point we have our own 27 who are held hostage," said Elagha.
Among them are Borak and Hashem Alagha – both from suburban Lombard.
"I'm doing every single thing that I can to get them out," Elagha said.
The 18- and 20-year-old American brothers were in Gaza visiting family. In the past 24 hours, Elagha said the young men were detained when the Israeli military gathered the brothers and others for reasons unknown yet.
An early-morning call awoke Elagha.
"It was from Hashem and Borak's mother. She was hysterically crying. Her voice was so shaky," said Elagha. "She told me, "They took Hashem, they took Borak!'"
Elagha was told the Israeli military left with all the men in the house, including the Lombard natives.
"They didn't' state any reason for why they took the men, and didn't state any location they were taking them to," Elagha said.
The family has been glued to news coverage and waiting for an explanation.
"We want to know more about the reasons here. And I'm confident that our Ambassador, Jack Lew, is looking into this," National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said at a news conference in Washington Thursday. "Obviously, this is the kind of thing we take very seriously, so we'll be talking to our Israeli counterparts and trying to get information, more context here about what happened."
Elagha questioned the sincerity of those claims.
"I wish that I saw something that would give me the ability to buy that," she said. "I wish I had any actions from the U.S. to allow me to believe his words."
Elagha said no one from the U.S. government had reached out to them or provided any details about their loved ones' whereabouts. They have decided to keep the news of detainment from her aging grandparents, fearing it could impact their health.