On Tuesday, Dr. Mohamed Abu Namous was overwhelmed with emotions as he embraced his daughter, possibly for the last time, while his family prepared to leave Gaza for Egypt at the Rafah border crossing. He decided to stay in the enclave to care for thousands of injured people due to the Israeli bombardment. Abu Namous's family, who hold Moldovan nationality, are among hundreds of Gaza residents with foreign passports allowed to depart to Egypt via this crossing, the only exit from the besieged Palestinian territory that is not on Israel's borders.
Abu Namous told Reuters, while sitting next to his wife and daughter in the waiting area, "There is no other way out of this situation. There is no safety here. All of Gaza is unsafe. That is why it is better for me to get them out so I can focus on my work treating patients." He added, "I will definitely get them out, but I will stay in Gaza and will not leave."
The orthopedic surgeon reported that he moved his family from Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza to the residential area of Al-Zahra and then to Al-Nusayrat camp in central Gaza as Israeli airstrikes began, but finding a safe place for the family was elusive. Israel has been raining bombs on Gaza for weeks in response to the deadly attack perpetrated by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on October 7, which Israel says led to the deaths of 1,400 people and the capture of over 200 hostages. According to estimates from health officials in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes have thus far claimed the lives of more than 10,000 Palestinians, about 40 percent of whom are children, prompting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to warn that Gaza is turning into "a graveyard for children."
Dina, Dr. Abu Namous's daughter, expressed mixed emotions whenever she remembered that they might leave the territory. She said, "We will go to a place where there is electricity, water, the internet, and everything... but at the same time, I am sad because my dad will stay here."
