KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Activists in Kalamazoo are searching for information about Khalid Jamal, a local Palestinian man who joined a humanitarian aid flotilla to Gaza.
Friends say Jamal, who is from Portage, was part of a boat carrying humanitarian supplies. According to international reporting, the vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces, leaving friends and neighbors concerned about his safety and whereabouts.
"We don't know what his status is," said Daniel Smith from Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War (KNOW).
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Protesters lined Westenedge in Kalamazoo on Thursday, calling for information about Jamal's condition and demanding action from lawmakers.
Leaders from KNOW, an anti-war group in Kalamazoo, said they want to hear from elected officials about the situation.
Congressman Bill Huizenga's office provided FOX 17 a statement regarding the matter:
"While our office has not received identifiable outreach from Mr. Jamal or his family requesting assistance, Congressman Huizenga is monitoring the situation closely. Congressman Huizenga strongly advises that no American citizen attempt to enter another country or territory illegally. This is especially true when there is an official do not travel advisory from the State Department or ongoing military operations in a specified location."
The Associated Press has reported that Israel has criticized flotilla efforts and accused some members of having links to Hamas. However, the AP noted that the country has provided little evidence of those claims, and activists have denied the accusations.
"They left everything, and volunteered to come to bring baby formula, and food and milk, to the people who are starving in Gaza," said Said Abubakr from Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War.
For Jamal's neighbors, finding him and ensuring his safety remains their top priority.
"People have been suffering for way too long, and the whole world is looking the other way," Abubakr said.
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