A St Andrews University worker has issued a heartfelt plea to get her five-year-old daughter out of Gaza.
Israa Aljaish, who lives in Dundee, says little Marlin is desperately ill due to a lack of food and water.
The terrified youngster has been eating dough as bread supplies have run out and has developed a fever and cough.
Marlin has been sheltering near the Egyptian border with her grandmother and other family members for the last 50 days.
They were forced to flee their home in central Gaza as the conflict with Israel escalated following the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Israa graduated from St Andrews University with a masters degree on Wednesday but all she could think about was how to bring her daughter to safety.
Her plight was revealed as university rector Stella Maris faces calls to resign after accusing Israel of genocide.
North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain, whose help has been enlisted by the worried single mum, said: “It’s hard to imagine how difficult it is for Israa to be separated from her young daughter in the current circumstances.”
Mum’s fears
Israa began studying in St Andrews in September 2022, while her mother Amal cared for Marlin in Gaza.
And she believes her student visa should entitle her daughter to move over the border into Egypt, allowing her to then travel to the UK.
The 29-year-old said: “The situation in Gaza is horrible. The living conditions are not suitable at all.
“Two days ago, my daughter became sick.
“She has a fever and a bad cough and she’s having nightmares.
“I was able to talk to my mum and she told me they are eating dough, not even bread.
“My daughter is five-years-old and she couldn’t speak to me on the phone because she has trauma.
“She is not at all well, physically or mentally.”
‘I don’t know what to do’
Israa, who now works as an administrator at the Fife university, can only speak to her family every few days.
And she is becoming increasingly concerned about their situation.
“The only way out of Gaza is for people with a British passport,” she said.
“Marlin doesn’t have a passport and even though I have UK residency and a full-time contract at the university, I can’t get her out. It’s impossible.
“I’m doing a visa application for her but I’m still looking for any way possible to get her into Egypt.
“I don’t know what to do.”
Liberal Democrat MP Wendy described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as perilous.
She is now pursuing every option to reunite Israa and Marlin and has raised her case in parliament.
She said: “This is far from a straightforward process but I continue to hope that a solution can be found and the Government can be convinced to step in.”
The UK Government says its priority is to get UK nationals out of Gaza and to ensure humanitarian relief reaches those still there.
It has provided £60 million in aid since the crisis began in October.
There are an estimated one million displaced people across the Gaza strip, according to a UN agency working with Palestinian refugees.
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