The first Bulgarian citizens to escape Gaza -- a family of three -- have arrived in Sofia.
The family arrived around 8 p.m. local time on November 3 at Sofia Airport from Cairo after a connecting flight in Athens.
Alaa el-Sharafi, Sali el-Sharafi, and their 4-year-old daughter, Siyka el-Sharafi, had tried to leave Gaza since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas -- designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and EU -- on October 7, but it had been impossible until now.
Just after their arrival, Alaa el-Sharafi and his wife, who is pregnant, said that they were happy to be in a safe and peaceful country. They were greeted by friends and family, including Alaa's mother, who is also named Siyka.
“As you see, we are alive,” said Sali el-Sharafi. “After all that, we couldn't imagine that we could get out alive.”
She said that while they escaped, they left behind relatives, their home, and land, and they know nothing about their status because there is no Internet or communication.
She added that she had nightmares that she would give birth at home without any medical help because of the bombing of hospitals.
Siyka el-Sharafi, mother of Alaa, was born in Bulgaria. Her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter have Bulgarian and Palestinian citizenship.
The family arrived in Cairo on November 1 after some civilians were allowed to leave the Gaza Strip for the first time. Their departure was possible through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, the only way out of Gaza.
Earlier that day, Hamas published a list of people who could leave the Gaza Strip, including 37 Bulgarians.
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said on November 1 that 36 of these people had successfully crossed into Egypt. One of them, a doctor, had requested to stay in Gaza to help people in need.
All the other Bulgarian citizens are still waiting for a flight. They were scheduled to leave on November 3 with a connecting flight from Rome, but that was not possible because their relatives say the Italian authorities did not allow them to board the flight. Their arrival is expected in the following days, but it's still not clear when exactly when.