There were emotional scenes in Dublin Airport as the first Irish citizens to flee Gaza arrived into the country.
The Abuowda family from Tallaght in west Dublin were in tears as they greeted their mother and baby sister, who had been stranded in the war-torn region for more than 40 days.
One-year-old Sara was embraced by her siblings as their mother 42-year-old Nisreen Abuowda told RTÉ News of her relief at returning to Ireland, but her fear for her family who remained in Gaza.
She said: "I'm so glad but in the same moment I am so sad because I left my big family in Gaza.
"In Gaza it is a difficult situation really. Entire families are wiped out. What happened in Gaza is genocide.
"I'm so worried I can't see my family again. Now I am feeling safe here in Ireland. I'm feeling safe."
Her 21-year-old son Mohanad said they were very happy to have their mother and sister back.
"It has been very worrying for me and my family. We were worrying it might be a loss for us but thank God we have them back. They managed somehow to keep safe.
"But my family from both sides are facing danger at the moment. We are trying to stay in contact with them but it's very hard. We are hoping the war will stop soon and there will be a ceasefire."
His 12-year-old sister Rama also spoke of her relief of seeing her mother again.
"The past month was so hard to be honest. I'm really happy but still sad for my family there, my friends, everyone is there," she said.
Ibraham Alagha, his wife and three children also arrived on the flight from Egypt, but did not stop to talk to the waiting media as he wanted to attend the Palestinian protest in the city centre.
His brother Abdullah Alagha, who is from Blanchardstown in west Dublin, was visibly emotional as he spoke of his joy and relief at seeing his brother arrive home safely.
His wife and a number of other relatives who managed to get through the Rafah crossing are due to arrive in Ireland tomorrow.
He said: "Every one of my family cried to see them. They were waiting for a long time and we thought they won't make it. But thank God they made it. We are so excited to see them.
"We have been waiting a long time for this. We didn't know at the beginning of the war if we would see them again but thanks for everyone who supported us over the last few weeks, the Irish Government for making this moment happen."
Emotional scenes in Dublin Airport as the first Irish citizens to flee Gaza arrive home @rtenews pic.twitter.com/pEpBBQfDdr
— Samantha Libreri (@SamanthaLibreri) November 18, 2023
Saeed Sadeq also spoke of his relief to be in Ireland as he was embraced by his Mayo based mother and brother as he came into the arrivals areas in Dublin Airport
He said: "I feel safe now finally after 40 days. I lived in Gaza. It was a catastrophe. It was a disaster. We had no electricity, water, food, medical supplies.
"So finally, I will be able to live now as a normal person, eating drinking, having fun with my family and feeling safe. I can’t put the words together to described what I'm feeling right now but I feel safe."
He said the first thing he will do when he gets to Mayo is to sleep.
His cousin Asil Sadeq said while she was relieved to reunited with Saeed, she and other Palestinians in Ireland are struggling to stay strong.
She said: "Every time we texted him it was like he was texting to say goodbye. We are all traumatised. We have lost faith in all aspects of life, humanity. Maybe sometimes we did lose faith, spiritually but we try our best to stay strong and come back to life.
"When we got the news you could hear our voices dance, but at the same time we have had mixed feeling of him being safe, but others not and him having the privilege to get out being an Irish citizen but other family members don't have that. They're sentenced because they're born Palestinians."
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 50 Irish citizens have fled Gaza via the Rafah crossing into Egypt this week.
It says it will continue to provide assistance to any Irish passport-holders who remain and wish to leave the region.
It is understood more Irish citizens will arrive into Dublin Airport tomorrow and that their quick return has been facilitated with the help of Egypt Air.
Among those due to arrive tomorrow are the two young children of Khalid El Estal, who is currently in Co Kildare, and whose wife died after their home in Gaza was destroyed in a bomb attack.
The children, aged one and three, are travelling with their uncle.
