Family makes contact with Bay Area doctor who left for Gaza to provide medical aid

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The family of a Bay Area doctor who went on a medical mission to Gaza are now relieved to be making contact with her.

Dr. Haleh Sheikholeslami is usually a family physican at Sutter Health in San Carlos but departed for Gaza in April.

She made the trip over to provide medical care to primarily children in the war-torn region.

RELATED: Bay Area doctor heads to Gaza's Rafah border on medical mission despite possible Israeli invasion

A Bay Area doctor is on her way to Gaza's Rafah border for a volunteer medical mission amid reports of hospitals being attacked and doctors killed.

However, since the border in the city of Rafah closed, humanitarian aid has not been allowed in or out of Gaza. Rafah is between Gaza and Egypt.

After days of no contact, ABC7 News learned the family got word Sunday night, hearing that Dr. Sheikholeslami is safe.

The family believes more U.S. doctors are also stuck with her group.

Their point of contact says the earliest the border will open is Wednesday.