According to a Guardian investigation, Palestinians in Gaza who are eager to leave the territory are offering bribes of up to $10,000 (£7,850) to brokers for assistance in crossing into 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 significant “coordination fees” by a group of intermediaries and messengers reportedly associated with the Egyptian intelligence services.
A man from Palestine living in the United States reported that he paid $9,000 three weeks ago to add his wife and kids to a list. The family has been seeking 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 on the list and he would need to pay an additional $3,000. He accused the brokers of profiting off the suffering of Gazans.
He expressed his frustration and sadness, stating that it is unfair to take advantage of those who are struggling to escape the difficult situation in Gaza. His family has not been able to leave yet.
The United Nations reports that 85% of the population in Gaza is currently displaced. Many individuals have been forced to relocate to the city of Rafah in the south due to Israeli air and ground attacks forcing them out of the central and northern regions of the area.
The country of Egypt, an important participant in talks about Gaza, has consistently opposed allowing the Rafah crossing to open due to concerns that a large number of individuals would escape into the nearby Sinai peninsula. This situation, according to Cairo, could potentially pose a security risk. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt has also stated that a significant number of refugees from Gaza could establish a precedent for relocating Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan.
A group of brokers, located in Cairo, that assists Palestinians in exiting Gaza has been running along the Rafah border for several years. However, fees have significantly increased since the beginning of the conflict, now costing $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 leave the strip. Some have resorted to starting crowdfunding campaigns to gather the funds, while others were offered the option to leave sooner if they paid a higher amount.
Palestinians are seeking assistance to be added to the list on Facebook pages providing updates on the Rafah crossing.
Everyone interviewed said they had been put in touch with brokers through contacts in Gaza. Payments are made in cash, sometimes through middlemen based in Europe and the US.
Belal Baroud, a US citizen originally from Gaza, was informed that in order to bring 11 of his family members, including five young children under the age of three, out of the territory, he would need to collect $85,000.
Baroud stated that the reason for considering this option is due to the lack of response from the US government. If there was any possibility of a positive outcome for his father’s case, he would not be considering this option. For the past three months, Baroud has been pleading with the US state department taskforce to add his diabetic father to the exit list.
He stated that he is facing this circumstance because the US refuses to assist its own people.
Baroud’s father, who is 70 years old, was temporarily apprehended by Israeli forces in December. He was among a group of men who were forced to remove their clothing, had their hands bound with zip ties, and were transported to an undisclosed location.
Prior to his father’s arrest, Baroud had spent several weeks trying to find assistance, dedicating numerous hours on the phone with Washington or the US embassy in Jerusalem and sending extensive amounts of information via email to the state department.
Initially, the policy of the US State Department stated that it would only provide aid for US citizens’ immediate family members in Gaza to leave the area. However, it later announced that it would also extend its assistance to include the parents and siblings of US citizens.
According to the speaker, they have not received any emails from the company since mid-December, and they have followed up six times. The company only communicates through email. In contrast, the speaker has observed other individuals who pay to leave and are able to do so within one or two days.
The government department stated that it could not provide a response regarding specific instances. A representative also mentioned that they were not aware of the broker system that certain individuals are utilizing to leave Gaza in exchange for payment. The representative further stated that they have helped more than 1,300 American citizens, permanent residents, and their families to leave Gaza.
According to Mohannad Sabry, a specialist in the Sinai region and writer of “Sinai: Egypt’s Key, Gaza’s Essential, Israel’s Terror”, the brokers specifically aim at the most susceptible individuals.
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“When a family has a member who is injured or ill and is in urgent need of assistance, they are seen as ideal targets for exploitation. Perpetrators can demand any sum of money and the family is left with no choice but to come up with the funds. This is a clear example of a corrupt scheme.”
Sabry stated that the Egyptian government’s reasons for keeping the borders closed were simply a facade to hide the ongoing corruption. The leader of Egypt’s State Information Service declined to provide a statement when approached by the Guardian.
Sabry commented: “This is not minor corruption – this is corruption enabled by the state.”
Many Palestinians living in Gaza, especially those without citizenship of another country, have limited options for leaving the territory. As a result, they and their relatives abroad have expressed reliance on the broker network as their only viable option.
A Palestinian residing in the UK, who has experienced the loss of family members due to Israeli airstrikes, expressed frustration over individuals profiting from the suffering of others. They lamented that instead of providing aid, some are exploiting the desperate situation for financial gain. They question why assistance is not being offered to facilitate the safe escape of those in danger.
The Palestinian individuals were informed that it would require a sum of $4,000 to assist each of the nine young male members of their family in departing in early December. However, they are currently being presented with estimates ranging from $6,000 to $10,000.
After being unable to receive assistance from the British government or humanitarian organizations, the family sought help from brokers.
The Palestinian expressed confusion over the lack of implemented plans and resources for evacuating people. They also noted the absence of discussion about this issue among humanitarian organizations.
It’s as if they are stating: “We will not provide protection or safety for you, but rather just offer food and water while you are being bombed.”
The UK Foreign Office announced that it had prioritized the evacuation of 300 British citizens and their dependents, including children and parents.
Some individuals may not be willing to make a payment, even if they have the means to do so. One Palestinian resident in Gaza, who is attempting to leave with their family, stated, “Every second puts our lives at risk, but I refuse to give in to bribery.”
Source: theguardian.com
