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In the midst of the ongoing conflict in the northern Gaza Strip, a family holding dual citizenship from Palestine and Sierra Leone is pleading for a safe return home after enduring more than 90 days of harrowing conditions at the Rafah Border Crossing. The situation has been further complicated by the relentless Israeli bombardments.
The family, caught in the crossfire as the conflict erupted, swiftly sought assistance from the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Egypt. In response, the embassy collaborated with international rescue organizations to facilitate their evacuation. However, upon reaching Rafah, they found themselves in a precarious situation, with Israel conducting daily airstrikes and shelling, coupled with repeated threats of large-scale ground military operations.
Aiman Al-Baraawi, the head of the family, expressed the distressing circumstances they face, stating, “My family and I, my children, everyone, we sleep with our passports on us every day so that even if we lose our lives at night, whoever finds our remains will know who we are.”
Currently residing in a cramped temporary shelter along with over 200 people anxiously awaiting evacuation, the family describes the situation as a complete tragedy. Al-Baraawi emphasizes the overwhelming challenges, mentioning, “It is a complete tragedy here. We can smell corpses in many places we reach. It is impossible to live. It will take too much to rebuild this place. People have decided to leave.”
As international efforts continue to address the complex evacuation logistics amid the conflict, the Sierra Leonean-Palestinian family remains in a precarious situation, desperately yearning for a safe return home.
