Politics & Government
Illinois-Born Brothers Taken During Raid Of Gaza Shelter: Report
Hashem Alagha, 20, and Borak Alagha, 18, were seized by Israeli soldiers during a raid in Gaza Thursday, Chicago Sun-Times reports.
LOMBARD, IL — Two men who were born and raised in Lombard were taken by Israeli soldiers during a raid in Gaza, family members told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Palestinian-Americans Hashem Alagha, 20, and Borak Alagha, 18, had moved to Gaza with their family after being raised in Lombard. The brothers share American and Canadian citizenship, per the Sun-Times report.
The pair had been sheltering with 28 other family members in a two-bedroom residence after two homes were destroyed in attacks.
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Their cousin told Sun-Times soldiers destroyed the home's interior and blindfolded the children and women inside before taking the brothers and four other men.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said officials will "be talking to our Israeli counterparts" regarding the brothers, who are among fewer than 50 U.S. citizens known to still be trying to leave Gaza, the Associated Press reported.
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