Egyptian firm offers escape from Gaza – for $5,000 a head
London/Cairo — From her home in Cairo, Etemad Abu Tahoun watches with terror as -- hour by hour -- the television news relays the devastation wrought on Gaza.
Her only son, 23-year-old Momen, is trapped in the Palestinian territory. A brief, broken video call confirms he is still alive – before the signal cuts off.
She is trying to crowdfund enough money to pay for her son’s escape.
"I will help him to escape from the killing," she said. "And his presence will be my support as I navigate the challenges that lie ahead."
But escaping Gaza isn’t easy. Egypt has closed the Rafah crossing to most Palestinians, fearing an exodus of refugees.
Since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October, Egypt has permitted just a single travel agency, called Hala, to operate cross-border journeys from Gaza into Egypt – what it terms a "coordination."
The firm is based in the office of its parent company, Organi, in Cairo.
Its fees have reportedly risen 14-fold from the pre-war price, to $5,000 per adult and half that for children. That’s far beyond the means of most Palestinians – especially those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in the war.
Mohammed Ra’ed, a Palestinian medical student based in Cairo, is crowdfunding to pay for six displaced family members to escape a refugee camp in Gaza.
"If I want to continue my studies here and succeed in my life, I want to see it [that satisfaction] in the faces and eyes of my family. If they're not here with me, all my efforts, all the things I do, it's all in vain," he said.
Hala did not respond to VOA requests for comment.
The agency now accounts for 40% of all crossings from Gaza into Egypt, according to the Cairo-based Arab Organization for Human Rights. Organization director Alaa Shalaby said accusations of profiteering are an attempt to divert attention from Israel’s actions – and praises Egypt’s effort to send aid into Gaza.
"We commend the admirable efforts of this community and country, grappling with their own economic difficulties, for providing significant support," Shalaby said.
Despite protests in Cairo calling for a change of policy, the Egyptian government says it has no plans to open the Rafah crossing with Gaza.
Hamada Elrasam contributed to this report.