"Shamikh Badra couldn't hold the tears back when he got to hold his mother, Fatma, for the first time in 11 years. Standing in the bustling arrivals hall at Sydney airport last Friday evening, as passengers streamed off a flight from Amman, Jordan via Singapore and were embraced by their families, he bent down to wrap his arms around her and planted a single kiss on her forehead."
"Prior to their arrival, the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said about 600 to 700 Palestinians stuck in Gaza still held valid Australian visas, with the government unsure how many of those were still alive. Fatma has lost 10kg since Shamikh, her son and a citizen, first tried to get her safely to Sydney in late 2023. In that time, Fatma's access to food, medicine and other supplies in Gaza proved extremely challenging due to Israel's blockade of aid and the persistent threat of death for anyone leaving shelter."
Shamikh Badra reunited with his mother Fatma at Sydney airport after 11 years apart. Fatma arrived from Gaza via Amman and Singapore as one of roughly 60 Palestinians who landed in Australia since a fragile ceasefire began three weeks earlier. Fatma held a valid Australian visa and is now residing with her son in Bankstown. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said about 600 to 700 Palestinians in Gaza still held valid Australian visas, with uncertainty about how many remained alive. Fatma lost around 10kg since late 2023 amid restricted access to food, medicine and safety under blockade conditions.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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