According to a recent investigation by The Guardian, Palestinians in Gaza who are seeking to leave the area are resorting to paying large sums of money, up to $10,000 (£7,850), to brokers in order to help them escape through Egypt.
Only a small number of Palestinians have successfully departed Gaza via the Rafah border crossing. However, those attempting to have their names added to the daily exit list report being pressured to pay exorbitant fees by a group of intermediaries and messengers allegedly connected to the Egyptian intelligence agency.
A Palestinian man living in the US reported that he spent $9,000 three weeks prior to ensure his wife and children were on the list. The family has been taking refuge in schools since the attacks on October 7th. However, on the day of their departure, he was informed that his children’s names were not included and he would need to pay an additional $3,000. He accused the brokers of profiting from the suffering of Gazans.
“It’s extremely disheartening and distressing,” he expressed. “They are attempting to take advantage of individuals who are enduring hardship and striving to escape the turmoil in Gaza.” His family has not yet been able to leave.
The UN reports that 85% of Gaza’s inhabitants have been forced to leave their homes. Many have sought refuge in the city of Rafah, as they are being driven out of the central and northern areas by ongoing Israeli air and ground attacks.
Egypt has been a major participant in talks regarding Gaza and has consistently opposed the idea of opening the Rafah crossing. This is due to concerns that a large number of individuals would seek refuge in the nearby Sinai peninsula, which could potentially pose a security risk. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt also expressed worries that such an influx of refugees from Gaza could establish a precedent for relocating Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan.
A group of brokers located in Cairo has been assisting Palestinians in exiting Gaza via the Rafah border for several years. However, due to the ongoing war, the cost has significantly increased from $500 per person.
The Guardian interviewed several individuals who were informed that they would need to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 in order to evacuate the area. Some have even resorted to starting crowdfunding efforts to raise the necessary funds. In some cases, individuals were given the option to leave earlier if they paid a higher amount.
Palestinians are using Facebook pages that provide updates on the Rafah crossing to request assistance in being added to the list.
All of the individuals who were interviewed reported being connected with brokers through their contacts in Gaza. Transactions are conducted in physical currency, occasionally with the assistance of intermediaries located in Europe and the US.
Belal Baroud, a Gaza native who is a citizen of the United States, was informed that he would have to gather $85,000 in order to secure the safe departure of 11 of his family members from the region. This included five young children under the age of three.
Baroud explained that he is only considering this course of action because he has not received a response from the US government. He stated that if he had any confidence in his father’s case being resolved, he would not be pursuing this option. Baroud has been advocating for his diabetic father to be added to the exit list for the past three months, reaching out to the US state department taskforce.
He stated that he is facing this predicament because the US is unwilling to assist its own people.
In December, Israeli forces briefly arrested Baroud’s elderly father along with a group of men. They were forced to remove their clothing, had their hands restrained with zip-ties, and were transported to an undisclosed location.
Prior to his father’s detainment, Baroud had been actively seeking assistance for weeks. He spent numerous hours on the phone with officials in Washington and the US embassy in Jerusalem, as well as sending extensive amounts of information to the state department.
At first, the policy of the US State Department stated that it would only aid close relatives of US citizens in leaving Gaza. However, it later announced that it would broaden its assistance to also cover parents and siblings of US citizens.
The individual stated that they have not received any emails from them since mid-December and has followed up six times. They mentioned that their only form of communication is through email. In comparison, they have observed others who have paid to leave and were able to exit within a day or two.
The department of state stated that it could not provide information on specific cases. A spokesperson also mentioned that they were not aware of the use of a broker system to pay for exiting Gaza. They further stated that they have helped more than 1,300 individuals who are either US citizens, US lawful permanent residents, or their family members to leave Gaza.
According to Mohannad Sabry, a specialist in the Sinai region and the writer of Sinai: Egypt’s Key, Gaza’s Essential, Israel’s Disturbing, the brokers specifically prey on the most susceptible individuals.
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“If a family has a member who is unable to wait due to injury or illness, they become perfect targets for exploitation. The perpetrator can demand any amount of money and the family is forced to comply. It is a completely fraudulent scheme.”
Sabry stated that the reasons provided by the Egyptian government for not opening the borders were merely a smokescreen to hide the rampant corruption occurring. The leader of Egypt’s State Information Service chose not to respond when approached by the Guardian.
Sabry stated that the corruption was not at a low level, but rather enabled by the state.
Palestinians living in Gaza, particularly those without citizenship of another country, have limited options for leaving the territory. As a result, they and their relatives living abroad have no other choice but to rely on the services of broker networks.
A Palestinian residing in the United Kingdom, who has experienced the loss of family members due to Israeli airstrikes, expressed frustration with the exploitation of others’ suffering for financial gain. They believe that instead of profiting, efforts should be focused on aiding those who are trying to escape and save their lives. They question why assistance is not being offered to facilitate their safe departure.
The Palestinian individual stated that they were informed it would require $4,000 to assist each of their nine young male relatives with departing in early December. However, current estimates range from $6,000 to $10,000.
After being unsuccessful in receiving assistance from the British government or humanitarian organizations, the family sought help from brokers.
The Palestinian expressed uncertainty as to why there have been no plans put in place to evacuate people. They also noted that humanitarian efforts seem to have stopped mentioning this issue.
“It seems as though they are implying that they will not provide protection or safety, but only offer sustenance and water while you are being bombarded.”
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Office announced that they had prioritized the evacuation of 300 British citizens and their family members, including children and parents.
Some individuals may not be willing to make payments, regardless of their financial means. One Palestinian residing in Gaza, who is attempting to flee with their family, stated, “Every second poses a threat to our lives and mine.” However, they also declared, “I refuse to pay any bribes.”
Source: theguardian.com
