O when the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, Egypt left the Rafah border crossing closed to most Palestinians. But one company is offering travel from Gaza to Egypt for thousands of dollars per person – prompting accusations that it is profiting from the refugees.
This is reported by the correspondent of Voice of America (VOA), Henry Ridgewell in his report from London and Cairo.
From his home in Cairo, Etemad Abu Tahun watched in horror as television news broadcast the devastation inflicted on Gaza.
Her only son, 23-year-old Momen, is trapped in Palestinian territory. A short, broken video call confirms he’s still alive – before the signal stops.
Etemad, who is struggling with health problems, is trying to raise enough money to pay for her son’s escape.
“I will help him escape. And his presence will be my support as I face the challenges ahead”says Tahun.
Escaping Gaza is not easy. Egypt has closed the Rafah border crossing to most Palestinians, fearing an exodus of refugees.
Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, Egypt has allowed only one travel agency, called Hala, to operate cross-border trips from Gaza to Egypt. The firm is based at its parent company Organi’s office in Cairo.
Fees reportedly increased fourteen-fold from the pre-war price, to five thousand US dollars for an adult and half that for children. This is far beyond the means of most Palestinians – especially those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in the war.
Many have sought financial help from friends and family – or launched fundraising campaigns on the Internet with desperate pleas for help.
Mohammed Ra’ed, a Palestinian medical student based in Cairo, is raising funding to pay for six displaced family members to escape a refugee camp in Gaza.
The travel agency accounts for 40 percent of all crossings from Gaza into Egypt, according to the Cairo-based Arab Organization for Human Rights. They say the accusations of profiteering are an attempt to divert attention from Israel’s actions and praise Egypt’s efforts to send aid to Gaza.
Despite protests in Cairo calling for a change in policy, the Egyptian government says it has no plans to open the Rafah crossing with Gaza.
With little food or shelter, let alone money, most Palestinians are trapped – with no way to escape this brutal war.
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We also recall this gallery from our archive:
Destruction and pain: The war between Hamas and Israel
Source: Voice of America (VOA)
