Malaysian couple to fly home after evacuation from Gaza

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian woman Nurul Ain Haron, who was in Gaza with her Palestinian husband Mohamed AM Shaat, has been safely evacuated via the Rafah Border Crossing, confirmed Wisma Putra.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the arrival of Nurul Ain and her husband on Nov 12 at 8.23pm local time (2.23am Malaysian time) at the Rafah Border Crossing was facilitated by the Malaysian Ambassador to Cairo and other embassy officials.

"Upon their arrival at the Rafah Border Crossing, she was immediately contacted by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister via a video call to check on her situation," said Wisma Putra on Monday (Nov 13).

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Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed hope that Nurul Ain and her husband will share information on the actual situation in Palestine with Malaysians when they return home.

On Monday, Anwar, currently in Makkah, had a five-minute video call with the couple and expressed relief that they had been safely evacuated from the conflict zone through the Rafah Border Crossing.

"Insya-Allah, we will continue to assist. I was waiting for (your) development here in Makkah. We are all praying (for your safety).

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"Once you arrive in Malaysia, get some rest because, after that, you need to tell all Malaysians the stories (of what’s happening in Gaza). We pray for your safe return to Kuala Lumpur,” Anwar said during the video call.

Nurul Ain, 37, and Mohamed, 33, are scheduled to depart for Malaysia Monday night.

The Foreign Ministry added that the evacuation was successfully carried out following a meeting between the Prime Minister and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during Anwar's visit to Egypt on Oct 23 and further coordination by the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo and the Malaysian Embassy in Amman.

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"The Malaysian Embassy in Cairo is also providing them with necessary consular assistance.

"The Foreign Ministry would like to express its highest appreciation and gratitude to the Government of Egypt, the Government of Qatar, the Embassy of Egypt in Kuala Lumpur, and the Embassy of Qatar in Kuala Lumpur for the cooperation and priority extended to Malaysia in the effort to evacuate Malaysian citizens in the conflict zone of Gaza safely," it added.