“Bank accounts are frozen”: a Russian woman evacuated from Gaza shared her problems

And she told how refugees were treated in Russia

Russians evacuated from the Gaza Strip are leaving for different cities. After arriving in Moscow, Anna went to Volgograd. We phoned while the woman was on the train.

“I have no voice at all right now, I have a cold, so let’s better correspond,” Anna warned.

I asked about the conditions at the temporary accommodation center near Volokolamsk, where evacuees who arrived at Domodedovo were housed.

— People were placed in a children’s health camp. The conditions there are excellent. My husband and I lived in a double room, which had a toilet, shower and internet. They fed us five times a day. The camp area is clean and equipped. There is a first aid station. The staff is very friendly, they tried to help us in every possible way. In general, people in Russia are very sincere. You should have seen how the Egyptians treated us at the Rafah checkpoint!

— Did you buy tickets to Volgograd yourself?

– Yes. But for those who do not have money, the state purchases tickets to the destination city. Upon arrival at the station, people are met by Emergency Situations Ministry employees.

There are people who have nowhere to go. The Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Federal Migration Service are thinking about what to do with them. No one is kicked out of the camp.

— Do you have any savings left for the first time?

— On a Visa card. In Russia it is problematic to withdraw money. In addition, there are rumors that all accounts of residents of the Gaza Strip have been frozen. They will be defrosted individually. Card holders will be checked to see if they served in Hamas.

— Is it difficult to get used to the cold climate?

— After Gaza, nothing will surprise us, especially cold weather. In the enclave we lived for a month in a refugee camp in terrible conditions. Animals live better in a barn.

– Who did you come with?

– With my husband and two daughters – they are 23 and 29 years old… We will look for work. I have relatives in Volgograd, I still have my mother’s apartment. I’m lucky. There are women who have no one in Russia.

— Do many people want to go back to Gaza?

“No one can return, and there’s nowhere to go.” Everyone’s houses were destroyed. If you have seen what is happening to Gaza now, you must understand: it is impossible to restore this.