American families stranded in Israel turn to Grey Bull Rescue: 'The name of the game is speed'

TAMPA, Fla. - What was meant to be a routine visit or a peaceful life in Israel has turned into a daily cycle of sirens and shelters. 

Families from Florida, New Jersey, and New York describe a harrowing reality where shrapnel is landing feet from front doors. 

What they're saying:

"You have to stop what you're doing and go outside in the cold weather to a shelter," Rachel Deutsch, a mother from North Miami Beach, explained. "With a four-month-old, while you're trying to get them to fall asleep or while changing a diaper, there are sirens and bombs flying overhead."

Duetsch and her husband, Yacov, are among the hundreds of Americans finding themselves trapped in Israel. For them, the danger is real.

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"We had shrapnel land ten feet from our front door," Yacov Duetsch said. "We love Israel, but just right now it's not, we don't feel like it's safe and there are no normal options to go out."

What we know:

The primary obstacle for these Americans is a lack of "normal options" to leave. 

While some were able to fly out in the initial days of the conflict, those remaining face uncertainty. 

"We are used to all this, but when it's caring for my mother, who is 81, who is not used to this, it's really life-altering," Lori Kate Lowenhar said. "She’s been a trouper, but she can't walk fast. Thankfully, we have a shelter near us."

While the State Department has offered assistance, travelers like Lowenhar say the "red tape" has made traveling near impossible.

Her son traveled from Indiana with her 81-year-old mother five weeks before the war began and was supposed to leave already. But, they remain stuck. 

"Because my son was born in Israel, he's looked as an Israeli, not an American, and we can't get them on a flight back to the states together, and she can't travel alone," Lowenhar explained. 

With her mother needing medical treatment back in America, she turned to Grey Bull Rescue. 

Big picture view:

Grey Bull Rescue, a non-profit based out of Tampa, has rescued nearly 400 people from overseas already. 

But, the list keeps growing, and the need is overwhelming. 

"We've conducted several different ground movements and a number of aircraft," Grey Bull Rescue founder Bryan Stern explained. "The name of the game is speed and to get Americans out as fast as we can."

RELATED: Tampa-based Grey Bull Rescue brings 300 Americans home from Middle East

Out of the more than 350 people on their current flight manifest, the vast majority are children. 

Dig deeper:

The emotional toll is heavy. 

Families aren't just looking for an exit; they are looking to preserve their children’s mental health and their connection to their heritage.

"I don’t want him to be traumatized," Nina W., a mother from New York, said. "I want him to love Israel and want to come back here and not think of it as a scary place."

What's next:

Grey Bull Rescue reports a backup flight manifest of an additional 200 people currently seeking extraction. 

As the conflict continues, the window for safe ground and air movement remains narrow. 

RELATED: Tampa-based non-profit rescues 34 St. Petersburg church members in Israel

For families, the focus remains entirely on the next available seat and the hope of a quiet night's sleep back in the United States.

The other side:

The State Department announced on Friday a special collaboration with "El Al" to run non-stop flights to the United States starting Monday. 

These flights bypass standard passenger caps to prioritize those who have registered via the official crisis intake form. 

TampaPolitics