After 120 days of war things are worse than ever... help, help, help

UK DOC'S PLEA ON GAZA FAMILY AFTER GOV SNUB

- AMY SHARPE

A BRITISH-Palestinian doctor tormented by his family's pleas for help from Gaza is crowdfunding in a desperate bid to save them after the Government snubbed his calls to bring them here.

Salim Ghayyda, who has worked for the NHS for 20 years, is furious at having to raise £100,000 to do it himself.

His relatives are trapped in Rafah and at risk of "dying at any second" from Israeli bombardment, starvation, dehydration or disease.

Appealing to Rishi Sunak's Government from Gaza as the death toll passed 28,000, Salim's nephew, Waleed Ghayyda, said: "My uncle is British and lives in the UK, so can you please help get us out? We don't care where we go, we just want to get out. It's been more than 120 days [of war] now and things are just getting worse. Help, help, help."

Salim, 51, said: "I contacted my MP, I campaigned and wrote letters asking for help getting my family to safety.

"The message I've been getting is, Sorry, we've had silence from Westminster' or plain indifference. I've been an ideal, law-abiding British citizen who's paid his taxes, raised three kids who are contributing to the country. Why am I being ignored?"

NHS consultant Salim's parents, eight siblings and 15 nieces and nephews are among hundreds of thousands who fled to Rafah hoping it was safer than other areas. The city is the crossing point between Gaza and Egypt but they cannot leave as they are not UK citizens.

Accountant Waleed, 23, sleeping rough in the city with his mum and three siblings, told via a translator of how they left their home in northern Gaza after Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas terror attacks on October 7 that killed 1,300.