A pregnant British lady is “trapped” in Cairo, her household says, after a “disaster” within the UK authorities’s response to some refugees arriving from Gaza.
Yusra Alshanti, 25, from Manchester, crossed into Egypt on Friday by way of the border level at Rafah.
Six months pregnant, she was accompanied by her two younger daughters, who even have British passports, and her Palestinian husband Ibrahim Taha.
Speaking to Sky News, Yusra’s father, Nasser Alshanti, praised the Foreign Office’s preliminary efforts to get the entire household into Egypt.
He mentioned particular permission was granted for Ibrahim to cross the border.
UK officers had additionally “assured” Mr Alshanti that, when the household reached Cairo, his son-in-law can be granted a UK visa.
He mentioned he was assured by the Foreign Office that there was a border pressure crew and an immigration crew on the bottom in Egypt to assist individuals get again to the UK, “so there would be no problem”.
But after a gathering on Saturday morning with officers in Cairo, the household has now found there is no such thing as a assure of a visa.
“When they met the Home Office team, it was a disaster,” Mr Alshanti commented.
“They said ‘we can do nothing for you’.”
After additional inquiries, the couple had been instructed that to use for a visa would price virtually £2,000 and there was no steering on how lengthy the method would take.
“My daughter says she won’t leave her husband behind, and she’d rather they stayed in Gaza than be faced with this,” Mr Alshanti mentioned.
“Unless he gets a UK visa, Ibrahim will soon be illegally staying in Egypt.”
He added: “They are trapped in the middle. Yusra is heavily pregnant and has already missed two scans.”
The scenario has been made worse for the younger household because the UK-funded emergency lodging is just out there for 72 hours – and for Ms Alshnati’s household, it runs out on Monday morning.
“Officials are aware that they’ve been living in a refugee camp, away from their home, for more than a month”, Mr Alshanti mentioned.
“Any money they were able to take with them, they have now spent. They have just only $100, so how they will stay in Egypt? How many weeks? How many days?
“We do not know the way they’ll purchase something, how they’ll eat. Still, we do not know. Nothing in any respect.”
The Foreign Office confirmed it is aware of the family’s struggles.
It said in a statement: “This continues to be a fancy and difficult scenario. We stay involved with British Nationals within the area to offer them with the newest info.”
Source: information.sky.com”