KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Khalid Jamal arrived at Kalamazoo airport Sunday to dozens of neighbors waiting to welcome him home after his ship bound for Gaza was intercepted weeks ago.
FOX 17 reporter Julie Dunmire first started talking about Jamal a few weeks ago when there was a protest in Kalamazoo asking for his safe return home.
Jamal had boarded a ship headed for Palestine to bring aid, often known as a flotilla, but the ship was ultimately intercepted.
At the Kalamazoo airport Sunday, dozens of people waited for Jamal to get off a flight from Detroit. The moment they had been waiting for finally arrived as Jamal returned home to Kalamazoo with the crowd chanting and cheering as he arrived.
"Right now at this moment I really want to enjoy being back home with my friends, my community. It means a lot. So I really want to enjoy right now," Jamal said.
Jamal left Kalamazoo for Gaza weeks ago. Neighbors initially worried about him after they couldn't get in touch with him when the ship he was on was intercepted.
Watch Julie Dunmire's video story below:
In the weeks since, Israel and Gaza's leaders agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. Something Jamal says should also be credited to the people who pushed to bring aid to nearly half a million civilians living in the city.
"Part of what we did is what lead to the ceasefire. And now, there's continuous aid that's going into Gaza. And you know, we're going to continue," Jamal said.
Now that he's returned home, Jamal has a message about continuing the work he's doing with community.
"Our fight for the liberation of the West Bank and of Gaza is going to continue," Jamal said.
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