Escape From Hell. Romanians Fleeing Gaza Reach Homeland

They cried of joy and of exhaustion. This was the first reaction of the women, children and only man in the group that was brought back to the country from Gaza Strip. Their tired faces and absent looks still have panic written all over. Released from the tension of the past days, their thought going out to the husbands and fathers still facing the war zone, Romanians returning from Gaza wept at the airport, relieved to be home.

"We made it! It’s incredible! I would’ve sold my soul to be back home again!" cried in a hoarse and tear-drowned voice Alina Ihrem, hugging her children.

The hellish adventure of the 31 Romanian Gaza refugees came to an end Saturday night.

Incident cu torțe și fumigene în Parlamentul sârb. Unei deputate i s-a făcut rău

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Iordania primește 29 de copii din Gaza pentru tratament medical

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Each with their own painful stories. In the streets of Gaza, reality goes beyond any imagination…

The safety of their children was the ultimate argument for these women to leave their husbands, homes, jobs and their life’s work to return to Romania.

"Uncertainty. Constant terror. That’s what drove us back here. We’ve seen dead children everywhere… I’m a mother… What is going on there is beyond inhuman," one of the women said.

Another Romanian, Mihaela Siam, went to Gaza 13 years ago. She has not seen her family since. She found it hard to adapt to the new life, but not impossible. "It took a lot of getting used to their language, their way of life, and then the guns. All men have guns in the house," said Siam, mother of three.

She did not have to work much for a living, because her husband was quite well off. Until last year, when her husband passed away and her drama began: under Muslim law, the mother is not given custody of the children after the death of the husband. Children go to grandparents or any male relative of the late husband.

"I had to sell my possessions, kidnap my own children and flee back to Romania!" said Siam, tears pouring from her tired eyes.

The past few days she has been living in a nightmare. Her husband’s family back Fatah, and since Hamas took over, her life got much worse: she could not set foot outside of the house, her children were unsafe in the streets.

The only man to have returned to Romania is of Palestinian origin, but has kept his Romanian citizenship, which he was granted when he studied in the country. The man, who declined to give his name, is a doctor, and has left behind a well-paid job, his home and life’s work to make a fresh start in Romania.

"The life of my family is the only fortune I have," the man said, adding he is willing to take any job.

For the children, Romania is the great unknown. "I only know the language. But my mom said this is a safe place, peaceful, with no gunfire," said a ten-year-old boy.

He hopes to make friends here and not have to stay locked inside the house.

"I liked it at school, but we didn’t have the chance to go very often because of the shooting. I miss my friends, but I’m sure I’ll make new ones here," the boy said.

The women returning from Gaza had saved money to return to the country, not knowing Romanian authorities paid for the flight and got involved in bringing them back.

"We all left our jobs and sold our possessions to come back. Had we known the trip was free, there would have been more of us here today. There are still many Romanian women there asking for help, over one hundred of them,” one of the refugees said.

Although home and safe, the women have still not escaped the terror of Gaza. "Our husbands, the father of our children, are still there. I can’t rest. I’m happy my children are safe, but I cannot help thinking…" said Ihrem.

One by one, the man, 11 women and 19 children embarked on a coach authorities put at their disposal. They took their seats and half of them fell asleep almost immediately. Deep, peaceful sleep.