‘No help came’: The story of a Palestinian-American family that was trapped in Gaza

Helal Kaoud hugged her father and brother goodbye in late September as they set out on a trip to visit relatives. At the time, she had no idea the long-awaited vacation would thrust her family into a nightmare.

Esam Kaoud, a 52-year-old California resident, took his 20-year-old son Ameer Kaoud to see the family’s homeland for the first time. It was a homecoming of sorts for Esam too, as he hadn’t been back to his place of birth in two decades. They headed for Al-Shati, a refugee camp along the Mediterranean coast in northern Gaza, where extended family excitedly awaited them.

During those first few days, Helal’s family group chat radiated pure vacation joy. Videos showed her brother, father and uncles enjoying their trip and the company of the relatives they were staying with in Gaza.