Rochdale family leave Gaza after 'absolutely harrowing month'
Zaynab Al-WandawiThe mother of a woman who was trapped in Gaza with her husband and her in-laws has said the group have managed to cross the border into Egypt.
Lalah Ali-Faten said Zaynab Al-Wandawi and other Al-Attar family members went to Gaza from Rochdale two days before Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October.
She said they had faced an "absolutely harrowing month" but had gone through the Rafah crossing on Monday night.
She added that she was "so grateful that they were able to leave".
It is believed about 200 British nationals were in Gaza when fighting began.
Ms Al-Wandawi, 29, and her husband were among those trapped, along with his mother, his seven brothers, her sister-in-law and another family member.
The Al-Attar family had travelled to the region for a wedding in early October and have been trying to leave ever since.
'Ten times lighter'
Ms Al-Wandawi, an English language teacher, and a group of 12 relatives - 10 of whom were British nationals - attempted to cross the border into Egypt previously, but were told their names were not on the list.
However, nine of the group were able to cross on Monday night, with two of Ms Al-Wandawi's brothers-in-law staying in Gaza in order to help the remaining family member leave.
Ms Ali-Faten, from Prestwich in Greater Manchester, said the last month had been "a waking nightmare" and she was "so thankful" the majority of the group were now in Egypt.
"We've had quite a late night," she said.
"As soon as we heard the Rafah crossing was open, the family immediately made their way to the border.
"It took a few hours to get processed and when they came out, they had representatives from the British embassy waiting for them."
Ms Ali-Faten said once they were in Egypt, the group were put on a coach and taken to Cairo where they will be "for a couple of days" before beginning their journey back to the UK.
She said hearing the news that they had made the crossing made her feel "ten times lighter", but added that she also felt "guilt, because they have the privilege of leaving Gaza while others don't".
"I know there are so many Palestinian families that weren't able to leave because they don't have the luxury of having a nationality that will get you out of that warzone," she said.
She added that it would "take some time" for her daughter to "decompress" and "acclimatise back to her normal environment".
"She called me when she was sitting on the bus because they were waiting for the bus to fill up with British nationals," she said.
"She sounded more herself than I've heard her over the last month, she sounded more like Zaynab when I was speaking with her.
"She sounded kind of peppy and she had energy in her voice."
She added that it had been "an absolutely harrowing month".
"They've been in a war zone and the images that are coming out from Gaza are disturbing and so horrific that you wouldn't wish it on anybody," she said.
"To know that your daughter's there, her husband and his extended family and there's nothing that you could do to to get them out, it's been awful."
