U.S. Kids Trapped In Gaza but Israel Bends

JERUSALEM, July 1, 2009 — -- Two small boys, Elias, 5 and Qasem, 6, hold U.S. passports but both have been trapped in the Gaza Strip.

Their father, Kamal Elkafarna 37, is Palestinian and holds a master's degree in engineering from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The boys were born in the United States, which automatically makes them citizens.

In 2004, the family returned to their native homeland in Gaza after Elkafarna's U.S. visa had run out.

But, now, he has a golden chance to advance his studies at a Russian university and start a better life for his family away from the chaos and violence of Gaza.

The problem is that one of the boys' passport has expired and, because the United States no longer runs consular services in Gaza, they can't travel. They needed to get to Jerusalem in person, to the nearest U.S. consulate, but Israel wouldn't let them out of Gaza.

"I cannot renew the passport in Gaza so I cannot leave Gaza," an angry and frustrated Elkafarna told The Associated Press Tuesday. "I cannot leave because I cannot renew it. I need to reach Jerusalem to do that and I have asked permission from the Israelis and they refused."

Ever since Gaza was taken by the militant Islamic group Hamas, Israel has imposed a punishing blockade on the densely populated territory. Only severe medical cases are guaranteed permits to cross the border into Israel.

It is a policy that many people criticize as collective punishment. In recent months, the Obama administration has demanded Israel relax its stranglehold, but to no avail.