Washington, D.C.: Nine Palestinian Americans have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, accusing it of failing to rescue them and their families trapped in Gaza amid an ongoing war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and led to a severe humanitarian crisis.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that the State Department discriminated against Americans of Palestinian origin by abandoning them in the war zone. It claims the U.S. government did not extend the same evacuation efforts that it would for Americans of other origins in similar circumstances.
The plaintiffs argue that their right to equal protection under the U.S. Constitution has been violated, citing the absence of "normal and typical evacuation efforts" for Palestinian Americans. The lawsuit references past instances of U.S. evacuation efforts in conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Sudan.
The suit, supported by the Council on American Islamic Relations and attorney Maria Kari, names President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as defendants.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but reiterated that ensuring the safety and security of American citizens globally remains a "top priority." The spokesperson also noted that the U.S. has conducted evacuations from unsafe regions, including Gaza.
The lawsuit comes as the war in Gaza continues to escalate, with the Gaza health ministry reporting over 45,000 deaths. The conflict has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, creating widespread hunger and sparking allegations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.
The current violence stems from the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
This is the second lawsuit against the U.S. government this week, following a separate case filed on Tuesday by Palestinian families challenging Washington’s support for Israel's military actions.
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