Queens resident among thousands of Americans stuck in Lebanon amid Israeli airstrikes
As Israel continues its bombardment of airstrikes in Lebanon, American citizens stuck in the country are attempting to evacuate, including a resident from New York City.
Shaniyat Chowdhury is an American citizen and Queens resident stuck in Lebanon.
"I know as an American I will be ready to go whenever there is a flight available," he said. "What my concern is -- is for the safety of the people here who can't escape."
The southern part of the country has been pounded by Israeli airstrikes; more than 1,000 Israel says, since starting its ground fight against Hezbollah just over a week ago.
The U.S. State Department has been urging Americans to get out of the country. It said Wednesday, that 12 government-organized flights have departed Beirut.
More than 1,100 Americans and eligible family members were aboard, with hundreds of blocked seats on commercial airlines filled by Americans. But the demand clearly exceeds availability with 8,800 Americans in contact with the embassy trying to evacuate.
That includes Chowdhury, who is safe in Beirut for the moment, but is concerned about what Israel does next.
"Just a few days ago, they struck Tripoli which is up north which I think that shocked a lot of people because the northern part of Lebanon tends to be safe - a safe zone," Chowdhury said.
A strike on a refugee camp killed a Hamas commander.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote to the state department on October 3, saying in part, "It is not enough to ask American citizens to wait days during a volatile and escalating conflict. One American citizen has already been killed."
She's urging the state department to consider chartering more planes so that more Americans who are looking to depart can be evacuated.
"It makes me question - I think this should be asked of the state department - are Arab lives not as valuable as Israeli lives?" Chowdhury said.
Chowdury points to what he says was an urgent evacuation effort by the U.S. State Department in Israel after the October 7 attack by Hamas last year.
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