Watan-The plight of Egyptians in the Gaza Strip continues, as their country’s authorities have either abandoned them or, at the very least, failed to facilitate their return and evacuation from the horrors of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
In one of the many scenes unfolding in Gaza, an Egyptian woman appeared in a video narrating her ordeal, stating that the Egyptian authorities have not allowed her to return and have requested her to wait for coordination.
https://vimeo.com/892185573
The woman, waving her Egyptian passport, expressed that she had come to Gaza to visit her daughter and check on her situation in the northern part of the territory. Following the martyrdom of all members of her family, she, along with her granddaughter, headed to the Rafah crossing.
She stated, “I went to the (Rafah) crossing to travel to our country, but they sent me back, saying they will coordinate. What kind of coordination is this, Sisi? I am lost in the streets. If (Gaza) were my country, I could have found someone to stay with, but I can’t find a place to go.”
She mentioned that she moves between shelters, unable to find a stable place. Overwhelmed, she broke into bitter tears and struggled to continue speaking.
Later, she revealed that her children in Egypt had informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate as instructed by the authorities, but to no avail. She affirmed that the humanitarian conditions in Gaza are disastrous.
Egypt Allows Its Citizens to Leave with Israeli Permission
In recent days, a controversy has emerged in Egypt following statements made by former parliamentarian Samir Ghattas. He claimed that the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s regime seeks permission from the Israeli authorities to allow Egyptians in Gaza to return to Egypt.
During an interview on “MBC Egypt” with host Amr Adib, Ghattas disclosed information about Egyptians in the Gaza Strip, stating, “What I am saying now hasn’t been said on most media platforms that honestly discuss Egyptians in Gaza, who number between 30,000 to 40,000.”
Regarding Egyptians, whether citizens or dual citizens, Ghattas explained, “Any Egyptian woman married to a Palestinian who has given nationality to her children, and any Egyptian who wants to leave Gaza, must send their passport first to the Egyptian embassy in Ramallah. The Egyptian embassy in Ramallah then forwards it to the Israelis. The Israelis examine it to determine if there is any affiliation with Hamas. If there is none, the occupation grants permission to leave; otherwise, the decision is rejected.” He emphasized that this treatment applies specifically to Egyptians.
https://vimeo.com/892184039
Egyptian Foreign Ministry Responds
Amidst the significant uproar caused by these statements, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded, asserting that there is no interference from any party in the repatriation of Egyptians from Gaza. They stated that the coordination being carried out is with Palestinian authorities, claiming that there is no role for the Israeli occupation in this matter.