Volunteer trapped in Gaza for over 3 weeks finally escapes warzone
A former teacher who went to make prosthetic limbs for children in Gaza has escaped the warzone after being trapped there for three weeks.
Ramona Okumura, from Hawaii, was volunteering for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund - which makes prosthetic limbs - with Dr. Barbara Preston Zind when the war broke out. After the first few days of attacks, the pair were sent to a UN compound. But on Tuesday night, they were told by authorities that some Americans might be able to enter Egypt.
Hours later on Wednesday morning, Ramona and Dr Zind were seen crossing the border through a live social media feed. The teacher texted a message to her family to say that she was finally on her way to Cairo. She said: “Luv to everyone who helped me get out. Pray for the people of Gaza who now don’t have us as shields from harm. Good night.”
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According to Ramona’s family, who stayed in touch through a messaging app, there have been many sleepless nights while they waited for her to escape, reports Hawaii News Now. She was one of dozens of foreigners trapped in Gaza as they waited nervously for the humanitarian corridor to eventually open. “It was really something I don’t have the words to say but it was it was it was a relief,” said Ramona’s niece, Akemi Hiatt. “Really seeing her cross and hearing her words made it very real,” she added.
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Ramona was able to escape after weeks in Gaza (Hawaii News Now)Hundreds of dual passport holders and dozens of seriously injured Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza while Israeli airstrikes tore apart buildings. Akemi added: “We’re hearing from her on the ground that there are missiles firing all around her, there’s less food, they’re starting to ration food, there’s no clean water, and people in her contingent are getting gastro intestinal diseases. So there’s like a lot of sort of serious conditions that are unfolding and so it’s very frustrating to kind of wait with that news.”
Her niece had been keeping in contact with her (Hawaii News Now)“We really hoped that this would be what would happen, but we never knew, you know,” said Ramona’s niece, Erika Okumura. It’s been a lot of feeling for everyone in pain, and so much joy now, and joy that I wish for all the families involved.” Erika believes her aunt will head back to Gaza when it is safe to do so as she's spent her life dedicated to building mobility devices for kids.
"Building a limb for a child, that is restoring their ability to go to school, their ability to play with friends, that is giving them truly just a vehicle and restoring motion to their body,” she told KUOW. "She has a really big heart for children", Erika added. "That's her life's work. That's really what she's about: restoring mobility, which is restoring play and restoring quality of life to kids."
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