A Russian woman evacuated from the Gaza Strip described a bombardment near the Rafah crossing, a report picked up by TASS. She recalled watching a bomb streak across the sky and a home exploding, stressing that everyday people are losing their lives—families, children, grandparents, just like anyone else.
Another evacuee, a man speaking on condition of anonymity, said the area around the checkpoint remains extremely dangerous and frightening. A mother with two young children chose to move to Moscow, while her husband stayed behind to care for his aging parents.
A different Russian woman, also evacuated from Gaza, reflected on what was left behind — her house, her job, her loved ones, and her grandchildren. At fifty years old, she admits she does not yet know how to begin anew in a place that feels alien and uncertain.
Earlier, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation reported that a week of evacuations had carried about 550 Russians out of the Gaza Strip. The first Russian citizens crossed the Gaza border at Rafah on November 12, marking the start of this large-scale movement.
On the night of November 19, 120 Russians and their relatives arrived in Moscow aboard an Il-76 aircraft operated by the Russian Emergencies Ministry, a notable touchpoint in the ongoing relief effort. Residents who had fled Gaza spoke about life under bombardment and the constant threat to civilian safety, painting a stark picture of the human cost of conflict.
These testimonies illustrate the human side of evacuation operations and the enduring concern for family, home, and the future among those who fled danger to seek safety in Russia. As authorities coordinate further aid and relocation, the voices of evacuees underscore the fragile line between security and disruption in war-torn environments.