Secretive mission extracts US soldier's family from war‑torn Gaza Strip
Both the mother and the uncle of the soldier are now safe outside the Gaza Strip, announced The Associated Press. A US official informed the agency that this rescue operation was carried out secretly, coordinated jointly by the United States, Israel, Egypt, and other nations.
8:22 AM EST, January 4, 2024
This is believed to be the only operation conducted within the Gaza Strip. Zahra Sckak, aged 44, and her brother-in-law, Farid Sukaiki, who is an American citizen, escaped the war-stricken zone on New Year's Eve. An American officer shared this with The Associated Press under conditions of anonymity due to security concerns related to the covert operation.
Zahra Sckak has a 24-year-old son serving as an infantry soldier in the US Marine Corps. Her husband was shot in the Gaza Strip while their family attempted to flee an attacked structure.
The anonymous officer informed that the Israeli military and local Israeli officials were engaged in carrying out this secret operation. However, he clarified that no American officials were present on site, stating, "The United States only served as a liaison and coordinator between the Sckak family and the governments of Israel and Egypt."
The AP reports that the Sckak family and American civil groups have long pleaded for Congress and the Biden Administration's assistance. The State Department approximates that around 300 American citizens, lawful permanent residents, and their immediate kin remain in the Gaza Strip.
