Annenberg Radio News

‘I feel guilty sleeping, I feel guilty eating’

L.A. resident says messages from family trapped in Gaza are few and far between

Two people marching at a protest with a banner depicting the Nazi swastika and the Israeli flag and a list of similarities between the two.
Arwa Shurrab (right) and her husband, Zeyad Elalami (left), attend a pro-Palestine protest in downtown Los Angeles on October 21. Photo by Jules Feeney

Arwa Shurrab has been having trouble reaching her family in the besieged Gaza Strip. She’s only received a few texts saying they’re still breathing.

Shurrab’s father came to the United States to study medicine at Columbia University. He returned to Gaza to practice. Many of his children followed suit, going into medicine, engineering and journalism. Arwa Shurrab is the only one who left Gaza.

On Monday I spoke with her about life there and her fears for the everyday people who call it home.