TORI: I'’M TORI BEDFORD.

IN GREATER BOSTON, THE CITY IS CLEARING OUT MASS AND CAMP AGAIN, THEN I WILL TALK TO A FAMILY FRIEND OF A MASSACHUSETTS FAMILY STUCK IN GAZA, RUNNING OUT OF FOOD, WATER AND TIME.

PROGRESS IS BEING MADE, THAT WAS A STATEMENT FROM MAYOR WU FROM MASS AND CASS WERE CITY WORKERS TOOK DOWN TENTS AND EQUIPMENTS FOR A THIRD DAY, TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE FIND SHELTER.

>> THIS IS AN ISSUE WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON.

WE SEE THIS AS A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WE ARE DETERMINED TO ENSURE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RECOVERY JOURNEY, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY AND PLUGGING INTO THE FAMILIES THEY LOVE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY GREW UP IN, AND THE CITY THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF.

TORI: THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING TO TAKE DOWN 75 TENTS AND PERSONAL ITEMS OF 90 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA.

NOT ALL SEE THE CHANGE IS POSITIVE.

CASSIE HURD WAS HELPING PEOPLE TODAY, SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NONPROFIT MATERIAL AID AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM.

SHE JOINS ME NOW.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

CASSIE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TORI: YOU ARE HELPING PEOPLE, I WAS WATCHING AND OBSERVING.

CASSIE: AN IMPORTANT ROLE.

TORI: I LEFT BEFORE YOU.

YOU STAYED FOR A COUPLE HOURS.

IT WAS CLEARED OUT, WHERE THE BIGGEST CONCENTRATION OF TENTS WERE.

WHAT DID YOU SEE AFTER THAT?

CASSIE: WE LEFT ATKINSON STREET WHEN THE STREET CLEANER WAS HEADED UP AND DOWN, AND POLICE BLOCKADED OFF THE STREET.

WE HEADED, MYSELF AND LEGAL OBSERVER PARTNERS AND LEGAL PARTNERS FROM THE ACLU HEADED UP THE STREET TO CHECK IN.

THERE WERE TWO TO THREE DOZEN FOLKS ON THE CORNER OF BRADFORD STREET, JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

UNCLEAR OF WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO TONIGHT, WHERE THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SURVIVE OUTSIDE WITHOUT BEING CRIMINALIZED.

AND REALLY UNSURE OF WHAT TONIGHT'’S COLD NIGHT WOULD BRING FOR THEM.

TORI: IT WAS FREEZING TODAY.

CASSIE: ABSOLUTELY FREEZING.

TORI: A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, PHRASING, PEOPLE WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO GO INTO SHELTER?

CASSIE: ABSOLUTELY, PEOPLE WILL DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO SURVIVE.

MOST PEOPLE WILL GO INTO SHELTER, THAT WILL BE TRUE EVERY NIGHT.

IT FLUCTUATES.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THE SHELTER SYSTEM AS WE KNOW IT DOES NOT WORK FOR PEOPLE, WHICH IS WHY THEY WERE OUTSIDE IN TENTS.

IT WORKED SAFER AND BETTER FOR THEM.

TORI: THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE OF THIS OUTCRY AND HEIGHTENED SENSE OF DANGER OVER THE SUMMER ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARDS IN TENTS AND RISING CRIME AND SEX TRAFFICKING, WHICH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.

THE MAYOR SAID AHEAD OF THE WINTER WEATHER WE WANT TO TAKE DOWN THOSE TENTS, IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE IN TENTS.

I GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE WHO SAYS THEY HAVE MOVED 90 PEOPLE INTO SHELTERS WERE PREVIOUSLY LIVING IN THE TENTS.

THIS SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS THIS CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE LIVING IN TENTS IN THAT AREA, IN THIS INTERSECTION, NOBODY WANTS THAT.

WE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE WE HAD THESE CLEARINGS, AND THE CITY HAS MOVED PEOPLE OUT.

ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAS IN 2022, WHERE THEY WERE MOVING PEOPLE INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

THERE WAS A LONGER-TERM PLAN.

HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM ATTEMPTS TO CLEAR THE AREA IN THE PAST OR MOVE PEOPLE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION OR HELP THEM MOVE INTO HOUSING?

CASSIE: I THINK CERTAINLY ON ITS FACE THIS LOOKS VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP IN 2019.

TORI: UNDER MARTY WALSH.

CASSIE: IT WAS A POLICE RAID ON PEOPLE WHO USED DRUGS IN THE AREA, AND SOME MAY ARGUE THIS IS A GENTLER TOUCH BUT I WOULD ARGUE IT PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THE POLICE PRESENCE, THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THE HARMFUL OUTCOMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN TODAY THERE WERE NOT NECESSARILY LONG-TERM PLANS IN PLACE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE.

SHELTER IS BY NATURE NIGHT TONIGHT, EVEN AT THE 30 BED SITE THEY HAVE CREATED, ONCE SOMEONE IS HOUSED OR MOVES ON, OR IT DOES NOT WORK FOR THEM, OR THEY ARE TOLD THEY HAVE TO LEAVE OR ARE BARRED, THAT IS NOT BEING REPLACED.

THAT IS NOT 30 BEDS GOING ONLINE .

TO BE CLEAR, SHELTER IS NOT NECESSARILY BEDS.

THERE WILL BE PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR.

I THINK MANY COULD ARGUE -- I WOULD ARGUE -- IT IS NOT SAFE.

EVERYONE SHOULD BE IN HOUSING THAT THEY DESERVE, HOUSING THAT MEETS THE NEEDS WITH WHATEVER FAMILY CONFIGURATION THEY HAVE, WHETHER IT BE A PARTNER, A FRIEND, A LOVED ONE, A PET.

THAT IS NOT WHAT IS BEING OFFERED.

TORI: WE SPOKE TO A WOMAN WHO HAD TWO DOGS WHO HAS MOVED INTO SHELTER, BUT SHE IS NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE HER DOGS.

THERE WERE THREE DOGS IN TOTAL MOVED ALONG TO STAY WITH FAMILY MEMBERS.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS ONE WOMAN I SPOKE TO EARLIER.

SHE HAD LEFT BRIEFLY, SHE HAD A TENT.

SHE HAD BEEN -- SHE HAS GOT A BED AT A SHELTER, BUT SHE SAID IN THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SHE HAS BEEN PROVIDED, SHE HAS ROOMMATES WHO ARE MESSY, AND SHE HAS DEBILITATING OCD AND CANNOT LIVE IN FILTH.

SHE STAYS WITH A MINIMUM THAT SHE HAS TO STAY.

WE SPOKE TO HER TODAY, AND WHEN I CAME UP TO HER, THIS IS AN INTERACTION WHEN SHE WAS PICKING THROUGH THINGS LEFT BEHIND IN A BIG PILE BEFORE THEY WERE CARTED OFF.

>> I WENT TO SALISBURY TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT FOR LUNCH.

I LEFT SOMEBODY WATCHING MY TENT.

I CANNOT TELL YOU WHERE THE HELL THAT PERSON IS.

TORI: YOU CAME BACK AND?

>> THEY WERE TAKING DOWN MY [ BEEP] I PICKED THIS OUT OF THE GARBAGE.

TORI: SHE WAS VERY CONFUSED.

SHE HAS A SHELTER PLACEMENT, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO RECOVER SOME OF HER THINGS, BUT SHE IS SOMEONE WHO DID NOT FEEL SHE HAD A BETTER OPTION.

WHEN WE ASKED WHAT WOULD BE IDEAL FOR YOU, SHE SAID TO HAVE MY OWN ROOM IN A ROOMING HOUSE OR HOUSING OF SOME KIND.

THAT IS WHAT THE CITY WORKED TOWARD LAST YEAR, BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS NOT AVAILABLE.

HER ONLY OPTION IS SHELTER.

CASSIE: THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED, AND THAT IS NOT WHAT IS BEING OFFERED.

THERE ARE A LOT OF STOPGAP MEASURES.

AND OFFERINGS THAT ARE TOWARDS THE END OF DISAPPEARING PEOPLE FROM THE STREET, THE ILLUSION OF MOVEMENT OR PROGRESS.

BUT ACTUALLY IS NOT MEETING PEOPLE'’S NEEDS.

WHAT YOU ARE SHARING, SHE WILL BE IN A SPACE FOR THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME BECAUSE SHE IS AWARE SHE SHOULD KEEP IT, SHE WOULD BE CRIMINALIZED FOR SURVIVING OUTSIDE AND POTENTIALLY ARRESTED UNDER THIS CAMPING BAN, MAYOR WU'’S CAMPING BAN.

SHE ALSO KNOWS IT WILL NOT WORK FOR HER.

WHEN WE THINK HOW CHALLENGING COHABITATION IS, TO BE TOLD YOU NEED TO MOVE IN WITH PEOPLE -- THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK OUT WELL.

I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY WANT AND NEED, AND THAT IS WHERE SOLUTIONS WILL COME.

WE KNOW THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIDENCE, INCLUDING FROM SOME OF WHAT HAPPENED IN 2022, THAT LOWER THRESHOLD HOUSING THAT IS DECOUPLED FROM SOBRIETY SERVES MANY PEOPLE, BUT MANY PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN THEIR AUTONOMY AND MAKE DECISIONS, AND HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR SPACE, THEIR SAFETY, HAVING VISITORS OR FOLKS WHO ARE KEEPING EACH OTHER SAFE ABLE TO BE IN THEIR SPACE, AND THAT IS NOT BEING OFFERED.

TORI: THE CITY WORKS CLOSELY WITH SEVERAL NONPROFITS THEY WORK WITH.

THEY WORK SO CLOSELY ON GETTING PEOPLE INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, THEN PERMANENT HOUSING.

I SPOKE TO A PSYCHOLOGIST WHO WORKS WITH PEOPLE, SHE WORKS WITH PEOPLE ON HOUSED AT MASS AND CAST, AND SHE IS CONCERNED ABOUT FINDING CLIENTS ACCESSING PEOPLE, NOW THAT THEY WILL BE DISPLACED THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN DIFFERENT AREAS.

CASSIE: ABSOLUTELY.

ALREADY IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND WEEKS PRIOR, IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING TO KNOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO PHONES, THEY ARE BEING PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY INTO THE SUBURBS.

TRANSPORTATION BECOMES AN ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF TRANSPORTATION.

AGAIN, EVIDENCE AND HISTORY IN BOSTON SHOWS SWEEPS SUCH AS THIS DISCONNECT PEOPLE FROM CARE, FROM PROVIDERS, FROM COMMUNITY, ALL WHO WOULD BE RESPONDING TO OVERDOSES, WOULD BE PROVIDING DAILY MEDICATION.

THAT WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO HAPPEN FOR FOLKS.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISING.

THERE IS SO MUCH EVIDENCE SHOWING SWEEPS SUCH AS THIS ONLY INCREASED DEATH AND NEGATIVE OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE.

PEOPLE NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDERS.

TORI: I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY AND WE ARE WORKING ON BOOKING THE MAYOR AND THE COORDINATOR TO COME ON THE SHOW NEXT WEEK TO TALK ABOUT THEIR LONGER-TERM PLANS.

THEY ARE REALLY WORKING AND HOPING TO FOLD IN HARM REDUCTION AND WORK WITH THE NONPROFITS, AND THAT IS A PRIORITY OF HER ADMINISTRATION.

WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS -- BY THE TIME I TALKED TO THEM IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MONTHS -- WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT AFTER THIS?

CASSIE: THE DISCONNECTION FROM CARE, THE OVERDOSE RISK ONLY INCREASES.

AS PEOPLE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM COMMUNITIES, FROM CARE, FROM THOSE WHO CAN RESPOND IF NEEDED.

A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE, OR EVEN IF ONE PERSON GETS PICKED UP BECAUSE OF THIS ORDINANCE, AS A RESULT OF THE ACTION OF MAYOR WU.

BOTH MAYOR WU AND THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED OF THIS.

THAT CAN HAVE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES, IF NOT BE CAN OUR PRODUCTIVE FOR PEOPLE MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF HOUSING, JOBS, EVEN IN TERMS OF ACCESSING TREATMENT.

AND ALSO EXTREMELY TRAUMATIC FOR PEOPLE.

TORI: THE ORDINANCE ONLY JUST WENT INTO EFFECT BUT THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING PREPARING PEOPLE TO GET INTO SHELTER.

THIS MORNING THEY SAID THEY HAVE 52 PEOPLE AS OF MONDAY, NOW IT IS LIKE 90.

A COUPLE HOURS LATER.

THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PEOPLE AND CONNECTING PEOPLE AT THIS LOPEZ.

-- AT THIS SLOW PACE.

IF YOU HAVE SEEN IN THAT TIME ANY ENCAMPMENTS CROP UP, PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT MOVING OFF OF THE ON RAMP NEAR COPLEY SQUARE, PEOPLE IN AN ENCAMPMENT, THERE WAS A FIRE, I THINK IN STONY BROOK.

I THINK PEOPLE -- WILL THEY BE DISPERSING INTO OTHER ENCAMPMENTS?

WHAT DO YOU PREDICT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE?

CASSIE: IT IS REALLY HARD TO SAY .

WITHIN A COMMUNITY, THERE WERE THOSE OF US CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER.

WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO WERE SURVIVING WITH EACH OTHER, THERE ARE A DIFFERENT NETWORKS OF FOLKS.

WHO KNOWS WHERE PEOPLE WILL GO?

PEOPLE ARE IN IMMEDIATE NEED, THEY WILL REMAIN IN COMMUNITY AND IT SEEMS LIKE WHILE THEY PROBLEM SOLVED HIM SAFETY PLANNED WITH EACH OTHER, IT IS LIKELY SOME FOLKS WILL GO TO OTHER ENCAMPMENTS WITHIN THE CITY, OR PLACES WHERE THERE IS SOME PUBLIC SPACE WHERE THEY CAN BE.

PEOPLE ARE WELL AWARE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY REGARDLESS OF CITY OR STATE PROPERTY THAT THEY COULD BE ARRESTED.

I THINK WE WILL BE SEEING MORE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF BOSTON, WHICH AGAIN IS FRIGHTENING IN TERMS OF PEOPLE'’S SAFETY, AND WHAT OTHER COMMUNITY'’S RESPONSES COULD POTENTIALLY BE.

TORI: I SPOKE TO A MAN ON MONDAY WHO STAYS IN A SHELTER, HE GOT KICKED OUT FOR 30 DAYS.

HE ALSO RECEIVES METHADONE TREATMENT.

HE SAID THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME HE HAS SEEN THIS, AND HE DOES NOT THINK IT WILL BE THE LAST.

>> THEY WILL JUST MIGRATE, THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT.

THEY MIGRATE TO ANOTHER SPOT AND ANOTHER SPOT, THEN END UP BACK IN THE SPOT THEY STARTED.

THEY STARTED HERE THEN WENT TO THE HIGHWAY AND SO FORTH OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

TORI: SO, I DON'’T KNOW, THERE IS RESEARCH TO SHOW IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY WORK, BUT THERE IS THIS PROBLEM OF THIS INFLOW OF PEOPLE COMING.

OUR ENTIRE STATE IS OVERBURDENED, THE SHELTER SYSTEM IS OVERBURDENED, AND WE ARE EXPERIENCING A HOMELESS CRISIS.

A MIGRANT CRISIS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO GET INTO.

I DON'’T KNOW.

CASSIE: THE CHALLENGE IS SOLUTIONS MAY NOT BE POLITICALLY PALATABLE AND IT TAKES POLITICAL WILL AND COURAGE TO SAY WE WILL INVEST IN PEOPLE, AND THE SOLUTIONS WE KNOW WILL BEST SUPPORT PEOPLE.

WE KNOW HOUSING -- I DO NOT THINK I HAVE TO SAY THIS -- UNAFFORDABLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE.

WE NEED RENT CONTROL AND PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE CURRENTLY HOUSED BUT PRECARIOUSLY HOUSED.

WE NEED TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING , LOW THRESHOLD, FOR DIFFERENT FAMILY CONFIGURATIONS.

WE NEED AN EXPANSION OF HARM REDUCTION, OVERDOSE CENTERS, EXPAND SYRINGE SERVICE PROGRAMS.

TORI: THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WE NEED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, CASSIE HURD.

NEXT UP, TRAPPED NEAR THE EGYPTIAN BORDER IN GAZA, A MEDWAY FAMILY IS BEGGING FOR HELP.

THEY WERE VISITING FAMILY BEFORE THE HAMAS ATTACKS ON ISRAEL THAT KILLED MORE THAN 1400 PEOPLE LAST MONTH.

NOW THEY ARE UNDER CONSTANT BOMBARDMENT FROM ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES.

3400 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN KILLED ACCORDING TO THE GAZA HEALTH ADMINISTRATOR.

THIS FAMILY IS RUNNING OUT OF FOOD, WATER AND MEDICINE AS THEY TRY TO FLEE THE FIGHTING.

THEY ARE AMONG SEVERAL HUNDRED AMERICANS TRAPPED AND HAVE TRIED CROSSING INTO EGYPT SEVERAL TIMES, FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

EACH TIME THEY WERE TURNED AWAY.

A NEW DEVELOP HAS GIVEN THEM A REASON TO HOPE, THE BORDER CROSSING HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY OPENED TO LEFT REFUGEES AND AID WORKERS ESCAPE.

FOR MORE ON THIS FAMILY, I AM JOINED BY FAMILY FRIEND.

YOU HEARD FROM THEM TODAY.

I WAS MESSAGING A LITTLE BIT, HOW ARE THEY DOING?

SAMMY: NOT GREAT.

THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES CONTINUE TO BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND DIRE.

HE WAS TELLING ME THIS MORNING THEY RAN OUT OF DRINKING WATER AGAIN FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE.

THEY ARE IN A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME WITH 40 PEOPLE AND RAN OUT OF DRINKING WATER.

HE HAD TO WALK A FEW HOURS TO FIND A CLEAN DRINKING WATER SOURCE AND WERE ONLY ABLE TO WALK AWAY WITH 1 GALLON OF WATER FOR 40 PEOPLE.

COMPLICATING THINGS TODAY IS THE NEWS THAT THE CROSSING OPENED FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS, BUT UNITED STATES CITIZENS WERE NOT ON THE LIST DESPITE COMMUNICATIONS THEY RECEIVED FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.

THIS UP AND DOWN ON TOP OF THE DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES TRYING TO ACCESS WATER, FOOD, FUEL AND MEDICINE -- IT IS EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE.

TORI: THAT WAS A LIST HAMAS RELEASED A 500 PEOPLE ALLOWED TO CROSS THROUGH FROM THIS AREA OF SOUTHERN GAZA.

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, YOU ARE A FAMILY FRIEND, AND MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU ARE ALSO AN ATTORNEY, BUT THIS IS NOT YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE.

YOU ARE A REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY.

SAMMY: THIS IS NOT THE WORK I DO.

I'’M COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED AND FRUSTRATED.

THE REASON I'’M SO FRUSTRATED IS THIS FAMILY HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO.

THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT EVERY DAY WITH THE U.S. EMBASSIES IN CAIRO AND JERUSALEM, THE STATE DEPARTMENT EVERY DAY.

WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH EVERY U.S.

SENATOR, MASSACHUSETTS, CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.

THEY FLED NORTH IN AFTER THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE MANDATED THE EVACUATION TO THE SOUTH, AND THEY HAD GONE TO THE CROSSING ON THREE OCCASIONS AT THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

AT EVERY TURN THE NAZIS HAS NOT BEEN THERE FOR THEM, THEY ARE UNDER CONSTANT BOMBARDMENT, GOING HUNGRY AND THIRSTY, AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

IT IS NOT MY AREA OF WORK BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM.

TORI: YOU HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

YOU HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

WHAT DO YOU HEAR BACK WHEN YOU MAKE THESE REQUESTS?

SAMMY: I'’M GETTING THE SAME THING, EVERYONE IS TRYING HARD TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND THE SITUATION IS COMPLEX AND FLUID.

MY PROBLEM NOW THAT I AM HAVING, WE JUST WATCHED HUNDREDS OF FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES CROSS SAFELY INTO EGYPT TODAY.

AS OF THIS MOMENT, THIS FAMILY AND THEIR ONE-YEAR-OLD SON HAVE RECEIVED NO INFORMATION ABOUT A DEPARTURE OPTION SAFELY INTO EGYPT.

WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WILL HAPPEN, WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN, OR IF IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

TORI: I WANTED TO PLAY THIS CLIP HE HAS SENT ME, THESE VOICE MEMOS.

HE SENDS THEM WHEN HE HAS HAD SELF-SERVICE.

HE MENTIONED WHEN HE GOES OUT TO TALK ON THE PHONE, THERE WAS CONCERN THAT HE WAS HAMAS, AND THAT WAS CREATING MORE DANGER, SO IT IS HARD TO COMMUNICATE ON THE GROUND.

I WANTED TO PLAY AN AUDIO MESSAGE HE SENT LAST WEEK.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT CONSTANT BOMBINGS AND AIRSTRIKES, AND HE FEELS THEY ARE GROWING CLOSER AND CLOSER AND MORE INTENSE EVERY DAY.

>> FEAR CONTROLS US.

NO MATTER HOW STRONG ONE CAN BE, FEAR FOR OUR LIVES BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IT DOES GET TO US IN THESE TIMES.

TORI: THEY HAVE A ONE-YEAR-OLD SON WHO HAS BECOME TRAUMATIZED BY THIS EXPERIENCE.

THEY SAID HE HAS REALLY CHANGED.

I DO NOT KNOW THAT HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS GOING ON.

SAMMY: I DO NOT KNOW THAT HE DOES.

THE THING I WORRY ABOUT IS THAT HE IS COMPLETELY TRAUMATIZED.

I WAS TOLD THAT AT FIRST EVERY TIME THERE WERE AIRSTRIKES OR BOMBINGS, IT WOULD WAKE HIM UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, BUT NOW HE IS WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT SCREAMING, INCONSOLABLE, EVEN DURING PERIODS OF CALM.

THAT KID IS COMPLETELY TRAUMATIZED, AND HE IS ONE, HIS MAIN SOURCE OF NUTRITION IS MILK.

THAT IS HIS MAIN SOURCE OF NUTRITION, AND 4-5 DAYS AGO, THEY RUN OUT OF MILK.

TORI: YOU ARE CHECKING IN WITH THEM EVERY MORNING.

YOU SAID YOU HAD NOT BEEN SLEEPING, AND EVERY DAY YOU WAKE UP FROM 1-2 HOURS OF SLEEP AND ASK THEM HOW THEY ARE DOING.

HOW HAS THAT BEEN?

THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE, 500-600 AMERICAN CITIZENS TRAPPED IN GAZA ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER FOREIGN NATIONALS.

FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME TRYING TO CHECK IN WITH THE LIMITED COMMUNICATION YOU HAVE, HOW HAS THAT BEEN?

SAMMY: IT IS REALLY HARD, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE AIRSTRIKES EVERY NIGHT THAT ARE GETTING CLOSER, GIVEN THE FACT THEY ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME FINDING DRINKING WATER AND FOOD -- EVERY MORNING I ASK THEM, WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SITUATION, DO YOU HAVE WATER, ARE THE AIRSTRIKES GETTING CLOSER, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT?

I ASK THESE POINTED QUESTIONS, BUT THE QUESTION I AM REALLY ASKING IS -- ARE YOU ALIVE?

I'’M WAITING FOR THEM TO SAY SOMETHING SO THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE ANOTHER DAY TO KEEP FIGHTING, KEEP TALKING TO SENATORS, KEEP TELLING THEIR STORY, KEEP TALKING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT IN THE HOPES THAT SOMEONE, FINALLY, PRIORITIZES THIS ISSUE AND GUESS THESE FAMILIES OUT.

TORI: IT IS CONTROLLED BY HAMAS, HAMAS IS BLAMED FOR THE DELAY GETTING AMERICAN CITIZENS OUT.

THIS LIST RELEASED OF CITIZENS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES RELEASED BY HAMAS, IF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS STRUGGLING WITH THIS AND SAYING THEY ARE DOING THEIR BEST, WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT THEY DO?

SAMMY: A COUPLE THINGS, THE UNITED STATES ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT THEY HAD ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT MEDIATED BY QATAR BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES, EGYPT, ISRAEL AND HAMAS.

THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF THIS LIST FOR THE CROSSING OF FOREIGN NATIONALS.

ONE THING I AM ASKING FOR BUT AM NOT SEEING IS FOR THE UNITED STATES TO PRIORITIZE THE SAFE AND IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE OF U.S. CITIZENS.

IF WE ARE NOT AT THE TABLE BARGAINING FOR THE RELEASE OF OUR CITIZENS, WHAT ARE WE BARGAINING FOR?

WHO ARE WE REPRESENTING IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS?

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE UNITED STATES WALKS AWAY ANNOUNCING AGREEMENT, AND HERE WE ARE TODAY, FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM COUNTRIES NOT THE UNITED STATES ARE SENDING THEIR CITIZENS INTO EGYPT.

THE SECOND THING I'’M ASKING FOR, IF WE CANNOT FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THE FAMILIES OUT, THEN WE NEED TO TURN TO OUR PARTNER PROVIDING MONEY AND WEAPONS TO AND SAY NO AIRSTRIKES AT LEAST UNTIL THE AMERICANS GET OUT.

NO ONE WILL GET BACK TO ME ON THAT REQUEST.

TORI: ARE YOU HOPEFUL FOR THIS FAMILY?

SAMMY: I'’M TRYING TO HAVE HOPE.

I'’M ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT THE CROSSING WAS OPENED TODAY, BECAUSE THAT IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN THAT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CONFLICT, AT LEAST FOR PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS INTO EGYPT.

I'’M HOPEFUL AND ENCOURAGED BY STATEMENTS MADE FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN IN THE LAST COUPLE HOURS TODAY.

I'’M HOPEFUL MAYBE THERE IS A WINDOW HERE, MAY A BREAKTHROUGH COMING.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE HAD FOUR FALSE STARTS BEFORE TODAY.

I AM STILL A BIT CONCERNED THAT AS OF THIS MOMENT, THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT COMMUNICATED TO THEM OR ME ABOUT A DEPARTURE OPTION OR TIMELINE.

TORI: EVERY TIME I TALK TO HIM, I THINK HE IS TRYING TO MAINTAIN A SENSE OF HOPE.

HE MENTIONED IN THIS OTHER AUDIO MESSAGE HE SENT, THE ANGELS ARE PROTECTING THEM, THAT THEY HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL.

A KIND OF GUARDIAN ANGEL CAME TO THE DOOR, HE IS SENDING ME PICTURES OF THE KITTEN, THIS ONE LITTLE THING THAT HAS MADE THIS ONE-YEAR-OLD HAVE ANY COMFORT.

I WANTED TO PLAY THIS CLIP HE SENT ME ABOUT THAT.

>> YESTERDAY OUT OF NOWHERE, A KITTEN SHOWED UP AT OUR FRONT DOOR AND CLEARLY BELONGS TO SOMEONE BECAUSE SHE HAD A COLOR ON.

-- COLLAR ON.

WE TOOK HIM IN.

OUR SON LOVES DOGS AND CATS.

THIS KITTEN MADE HIM HAPPY, SHIELDING HIM FROM THE TRAUMA THAT COMES WITH THE AIRSTRIKES.

TORI: TO THINK OF THEM HAVING A DOG IN MEDWAY, AND BEING TRAPPED IN A WAR ZONE IS CRAZY TO ME.

THERE ARE SO MANY INDIVIDUAL STORIES LIKE THIS AND SO MUCH CONFUSION, AND TO HEAR THESE BIG STATISTICS ABOUT THESE DEATHS IS SO HORRIFIC.

THIS REMINDED ME OF THE HUMANITY OF IT IN A WAY.

SAMMY: THEY ARE A TYPICAL AMERICAN FAMILY, THEY LIVE IN A SUBURB OF BOSTON.

HE WORKS FOR A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY BASED IN CAMBRIDGE.

THEY HAVE A KID, A BIG BACKYARD, A DOG -- THEY ARE U.S. CITIZENS, THEY PAY TAXES HERE, THEY VOTE HERE.

THERE IS NO REASON OR EXPLANATION FOR WHY THEY ARE NOT IN MASSACHUSETTS NOW.

TORI: SAMMY NABULSI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.

THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

I'’M TORI BEDFORD.

GOOD NIGHT.