Jo Jo and her family endured a harrowing journey to escape Gaza just in time. But their relief at finding safety in Australia is bittersweet as tens of thousands more remained trapped in the territory with nowhere to go.
"We did it," read a caption under a photo of Jumana holding up a peace sign in Egypt moments after escaping Gaza with her family."We left just in time. We safe now," Tariq told the ABC the day they arrived on visas sponsored by his uncle. Israel i forces seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing,Tariq said news of the ground operation made their hearts sink as it was just luck and good timing that they were able to leave in time.
Even after paying the bribes, they were forced to wait over 90 days for their names to be called at the border crossing. By then, their visas had expired.Jumana was just an ordinary teenager in Gaza City before October 7. After months running and hiding from Israeli bombs, her family find themselves in a perilous waiting game to come to Australia.But their happy ending was nearing. After making it out to Egypt, they reapplied for their visas and were re-approved quickly.
"We fear more every day for the children, as it is not possible for them to endure all this suffering and live in all these conditions.""The loud sounds of bombing and missiles fill the air and do not stop for a moment," he said. Food, water and fuel stocks could force aid operations to grind to a halt within days in Gaza if the vital crossings remain shut, which could force hospitals to close down leading to more malnutrition,
He said civilians would bear the brunt, given Rafah had some of the only functioning hospitals left in Gaza. While not issuing a formal famine notification, earlier this month World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain said famine had taken hold in Gaza's north, an assertion strongly rejected by Israel.
Invasion Gaza Escape Border Egypt Israel Palestine Displaced Evacuation Israel-Gaza War Jumana Jo Jo Temporary Visas Australia Universities PTSD
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