Detained in Cairo, Leila El-Haddad Shares Experience On Twitter

Detained in Cairo, Leila El-Haddad Shares Experience On Twitter

Leila El-Haddad is from Gaza. Maybe you know her: She’s a journalist and pundit, but perhaps even more prominently she is a blogger, writing about her experiences in Gaza and the United States, and her proud role as a mother of two, Yousuf and Noor.


But in spite of her prominence and stature, Leila is currently sitting with her two children in the Cairo airport for over eighteen hours, denied entry into Gaza on the grounds that the Rafah Crossing is closed, despite a signed letter of consent she received from the Egyptian consul-general in Washington the day she left the United States.


In a unique twist, Leila has been keeping fans, friends, and family alike abreast of her situation by sending updates to Twitter. Using the name GazaMom, Leila has managed to send 26 separate updates, thanks to the airport’s (ironically) free wi-fi.


Not only is she tweeting the entire affair, Leila has also been using a Flip camera to record her ordeal.


Long gone are the days of no witnesses; whereas previously someone detained in an airport would be denied communication, save for perhaps a phone call, access to wi-fi means that any absence of updates from Leila will be noticed. And access to a pocket-sized video camera such as the Flip means that Leila is able to record hours of footage, exposing the conditions where she is being held for the world to see.


The Source