As bombs fell on Gaza on Monday, Palestinian-Americans – visiting and residents – said they were desperately trying to find a way to leave the region, but had received little or no support from from the officials of the American embassy even though they are citizens.

They reported that the US Embassy had told them that the routes out of Gaza had been reduced to just one: a passage through the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula, the passage of which was interrupted for a moment on Monday due to the activity bombings.

A new security alert from the US Embassy on Monday stated in part: “US citizens in Gaza who wish to leave Gaza and can do so safely are advised to check the status of the Rafah crossing into Egypt. »

Said Shaath, 64, of Fresno, California, who works in the humanitarian sector in Gaza, said U.S. embassy officials told one of his cousins ​​to head to the Egyptian border crossing if he could get there safely.

“I don’t know what ‘safe’ means? We live in Rimal, it is very risky to drive to Rafah South Terminal,” he said. “It is not safe because along the way there is a possibility that you will become a target,” given the constant bombardment from Israeli airstrikes. Under normal circumstances, the journey from Rimal to the Rafah terminal can take up to an hour.

A CNN reporter speaking on the phone with Shaath could hear loud explosions coming from the bombing during the conversation.

“My house is shaking. I swear to God, the pillars of my house are cracking,” Shaath said.

Lena Beseiso, 57, of Salt Lake City, Utah, described the terror of being trapped: “It hurts, you jump out of your skin thinking it’s your last breath.”

Beseiso, who had not been to Gaza in 12 years, went there in late March to visit and spend time with her husband, daughters, niece and grandson. She is also frustrated by the lack of options offered by the U.S. government after repeatedly calling the embassy emergency lines for evacuation assistance.

“When we finally found someone to call us on the phone, we were begging. [Mis hijas] “They were practically crying saying they needed his help,” he said. A woman on the line said she couldn’t help them, Beseiso said.

“She kept saying, ‘I’m sorry, we weren’t given any information to help you, we weren’t given any information to help you,'” Beseiso recalled. “She kept telling the girls that this phone line was for Israel.”

CNN’s calls to the US embassy in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon were directed to the Tel Aviv branch. One person who responded told CNN they were advised not to comment beyond what was posted on the embassy website.

In response to a question from CNN, a State Department spokesperson said, “We continue to closely monitor the dynamic security situation” and directed U.S. citizens to its website, travel.state.gov, to acquire help.

Abdulla Okal, 34, watches the drama unfold from his family home in New Jersey. His wife, Haneen, and three young children (ages 8, 2 and 2 months) are stuck in Gaza. All are American citizens.

“To be honest, I don’t know what to do,” Okal told CNN. “This is the first time my wife and children have been away from me, and it’s a war, it’s a real war.”

Okal said his wife called the U.S. Embassy on Saturday and was given a link to fill out an application form and told to expect a call back. She called back Monday without receiving a response, Okal said, and was told they wouldn’t be able to help her anytime soon but would keep her informed.

He hasn’t heard from her again, her husband said.

Okal is desperate and says he is afraid of his family going to the last remaining crossing in Rafah: “It’s really dangerous, we go from north to south… the roads are bombed, there are huge holes “. , cars They can’t even drive through them.

The State Department has long warned Americans not to travel to Gaza “due to terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict.”