Expatriates, including five French people, have been stuck in the south of the Gaza Strip for around ten days. They are taking refuge in a UN logistics center and are still waiting for the Rafah border post, on the Egyptian border, to open.
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In the photos that René Alter sends from time to time via the internet, we can clearly see that the expatriate camp is precarious. This archaeologist is one of five French people stuck for days in the south of the Gaza Strip. There are also expatriates of other nationalities, all refugees in a UN logistics center which serves as shelter. These people represent ten NGOs in total and they are now prisoners of Gaza and the conflict between Hamas and Israel, since the exit door to Egypt is blocked.
“We are in a large parking lot surrounded by walls. We sleep on mattresses under the stars. We make a fire to cook for ourselves”, describes René Alter, member of Première Urgence Internationale. According to him, there are 41 expatriates in this logistics center. There are French people, quite a few Europeans and Americans. They moved in about ten days ago and they never come out. They receive supplies approximately every three days from Palestinians to whom they give money to buy food.
They are in between, that is to say they are not really in danger but not really safe either. “We have the impression of being in a boat that is sinking, a bit like the Titanic, estimates the French archaeologist. We are the orchestra in the middle. We keep playing and we feel like it’s going to sink, but we’re here.”.
“As time passes, our security will become less”
René Alter, French expatriate stuck in Gazaat franceinfo
For these foreigners, the only exit is the Rafah terminal on the Egyptian border. It is currently closed. Only a few humanitarian aid trucks were able to enter Gaza. We have to rely on NGOs, they are the ones on the front line trying to open the doors.
Beware of false hopes
“Our NGO directorates are in Jerusalem. We have a somewhat diplomatic contact with the consulate but it is relatively less. Afterwards, if I don’t call the consulate, no one will call me. We all know that, “In any case, this is not the channel that will allow us to get out, we are ‘alone’. We hope that the outcome will be positive and that we will all be able to return home but I don’t know when.”, explains René Alter. He is preparing to last over time if necessary. He is now wary of false hopes. During the weekend of October 21 and 22, the group was told that they were going to leave but the border ultimately remained closed.