A BAHRAINI woman who was stranded in the Gaza Strip during a deadly Israeli offensive has fled Palestine.

The mother-of-five, identified as Aysha, visited the war-torn area nearly three weeks ago for her sister’s funeral, but was denied passage into Egypt through the Rafah border when the air-strikes started last Tuesday.

However, she managed to cross the border yesterday, said the Foreign Affairs Ministry which ensured the return of the 60-year-old after her plight was published in the GDN.

Safety

“Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted the Palestine Embassy in Bahrain, the Bahrain Embassy in Egypt and the citizen’s family to take the necessary procedures and ensure her safety,” said a statement.

“Her husband Salah Zeyada confirmed that she has successfully managed to leave Gaza through the Rafah border and is on her way to Bahrain, and is in good health.”

Palestine Embassy first councillor Mohamed El Turk told the GDN Egypt had implemented border restrictions following the attacks in Gaza.

However, since Saturday it has been allowing non-Palestinian citizens to cross the border.

“I don’t know why she was stuck there as we contacted our embassy in Egypt who informed us that all foreigners in Palestine were allowed to leave through Egypt,” he said.

“They have been allowed to leave for the past couple of days.”

Israel said it shot down a drone from Gaza a week into its offensive yesterday, the first reported deployment of an unmanned aircraft by Palestinian militants whose rocket attacks have been regularly intercepted.

Israel held off a threatened ground incursion as the international community intensified efforts to broker a ceasefire.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to scrap plans for a ground offensive, saying “too many” Palestinian civilians had been killed as the death toll rises to nearly 200, with another 1,230 wounded.
ahmed@gdn.com.bh