Massachusetts couple stuck in Israel amid Iran war. Nonprofit helping evacuate Americans from Middle East
As the U.S. State Department urges Americans to leave more than a dozen countries across the Middle East amid the war with Iran, tens of thousands of U.S. citizens are scrambling to find a way back home. Some like a Massachusetts couple are waiting for government organized flights, others are seeking the help from a nonprofit rescue organization on the ground.
A Massachusetts native named Shelly spoke to WBZ while riding a bus with her husband back to their hotel in Tel Aviv. The couple had planned to return to Boston earlier this week after visiting family but remain stuck as commercial air travel in the region has largely come to a standstill.
Volunteering while stuck in Israel
While waiting for a flight out, the couple has been volunteering in Israel, even as air raid sirens occasionally send people rushing to shelters.
"There were two sirens just during the three hours we were volunteering in the food kitchen," Shelly said. "It was very urgent. People were running from all over because we knew this was serious."
Shelly has contacted the U.S. Consulate to be placed on a list for flights being organized by the U.S. State Department.
For now, she believes waiting is safer than trying to leave through Egypt, one of the sole commercial travel routes available to travelers in the Middle East.
"It's a very long ride across Israel to get to the Egyptian border," Shelly said. "And that means there's more risk for if there is a siren, if there is a missile attack, there's more risks. And I didn't want to take that. I still don't want take that."
Grey Bull Rescue helping evacuate Americans
Another possible option comes from Grey Bull Rescue, a veteran-run nonprofit operating in the region to help evacuate Americans. Grey Bull has made frequent missions to the Middle East and recently helped U.S. citizens leave Mexico and Venezuela.
Founder and Chairman Bryan Stern said many people across the Middle East right now are struggling to get out as airspace closures complicate travel.
"Lots of Americans are in bad spots, and all these places have closed airspace, and they're trapped," Stern said. "I highly recommend against jumping on a bus and going anywhere."
Stern said demand for help has surged as the conflict continues, the organization is largely funded by donations.
"Our demand signal is through the roof. We have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of requests of people asking us for help," he said. "We did 100-something [rescues Wednesday] So we're very busy. We're not just working in Israel. We're working throughout the region."
Whether through a nonprofit evacuation or a State Department flight, Shelly said she remains hopeful she and her husband will be able to return home safely soon.
"I'm a little bit more optimistic than I was a few days ago," she added.
