BREAKING NEWS Know your zone: Evacuation zones ahead of Milton

Egypt’s border prevents family in Israel from returning to SWFL

Reporter: Claire Galt Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:
John Rauchenberger’s daughter, Emilee, with her husband and 5 children (CREDIT: WINK News)

WINK News brought you the story of a couple and their five children trapped in a war zone in Israel.

The wife’s father, John Rauchenberger, said Egypt continues to turn his family away.

Egypt has a deal with the U.S. to get foreign nationals out. John’s family has made the drive to Egypt twice from their shelter to their border along Gaza. The family has been turned away both times.

“She said the food supplies are starting to dwindle. Bread is very hard. The kids now haven’t had any protein in a week, there’s no meat, there’s no chicken, there’s no fish. There’s no dairy because there’s no refrigeration.” John said. “It’s like a yoyo: go to the border, don’t go to the border, go to the border, get there, doesn’t open up. Nobody’s processing.”

John said it has become increasingly difficult to speak with his daughter, Emilee. When she has enough power and service to answer the phone, John tries to talk to the kids too and calm them down.

The family’s plan is to try again to cross the border Tuesday.

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