A British man attempting to leave Gaza has revealed that his family came under fire as they tried to reach the Rafah crossing to safety in Egypt. Dr Ibrahim Assalia, along with his wife, four daughters, and two other children, said they attempted to use what they believed would be a secure passage on the Salah al Din road, the main highway in Gaza. However, they were stopped by Israeli tanks blockading the road. The Assalia family had initially travelled to Gaza to help Dr Assalia’s father access medical care for cancer, but found themselves trapped when the Hamas attacks began. They were later caught in the crossfire and had to abandon their car to seek shelter. The family called for help, but received no assistance. Eventually, they managed to find a relative who agreed to take them to the border, but they had to walk back into Gaza City under heavy fire and amidst the presence of corpses. The family has attempted to cross into Egypt twice before, but have been unsuccessful. They are now considering attempting the journey again.
