Prince Albert, Sask., man relieved after wife and kids make it safely out of Gaza

Abdullah Algherbawi is finally relieved after weeks of sleepless nights. His family, who were stuck in Gaza amidst the ongoing war, have made it to safety in Egypt.

Algherbawi said his wife, Sabreen Algherbawi, and their four children aged four, nine, 11 and 13, were in Gaza, desperately trying to stay a step ahead of airstrikes, before making it across the border on Sunday. They are set to rejoinhim in Saskatchewan next week.

"I'm really happy that my family is safe now. But I'm still worried about my big family, my brothers, my sisters, my nephew. My people, they still need help," he said Tuesday.

Abdullah and his family are originally from Palestinian territory, but now live in Prince Albert, Sask. They travelled back in July to visit family. It was their first time returning since becoming Canadian citizens.

When Abdullah returned to Canada in late August for work, Sabreen and the kids stayed behind. That was before Oct. 7, when Hamas militia attacked Israel.

Abdullah said his wife and kids moved around seven times from one houseto another, to a shelter and then a school in pursuit of safety.

"My wife went to the border like five times, and every time she went there she stayed with the kids for a whole day from the morning until 5 p.m. She's waiting in case they open it and finally they made it to safety in Egypt now."

Sabreen said the journey to Egypt was tiresome but worth the trouble.

"It was a very long and hard trip. We waited for long hours but we are in good health," Sabreen told CBC News in Cairo.

Sabreensaid they only stayedtwo nights in the family home in Gaza once the war started. Ahouse near theirs was bombed, she said.

"We were so scared. At night, we thought where should we go? Every place is destroyed," she said, noting even safe spaces like hospitals and mosques were under warnings.

"My sister [works] at Shifa Hospital in Gaza. The situation there is very hard and they are not safe."

Abdullahsaid his immediate family escaping is a huge relief.

"Especially the last two weeks, I'm really having a hard and tough time to sleep. Finally when I made sure that they are safe and OK, at least I relaxed and I got a chance to sleep well," he said.

He said the war has traumatizedhis kids, especially his youngest.

"Imagine my four-year-old knows the meaning of bomb. She heard the Arabic word for bomb at least a thousand times last month."

WATCH|Sask. man relieved after wife and kids make it safely out of Gaza:

Sask. man relieved after wife and kids make it safely out of Gaza

12 months ago

Duration 2:26

Abdullah Algherbawi is finally relieved after weeks of sleepless nights. His family, who were stuck in Gaza amidst the ongoing war, have made it to safety in Egypt.

However, the safety and well-being of Abdullah's other family members still lingerin his mind. Two of his relatives have already died in the current war, and there are hundreds more still there, he said.

"[They]are still alive but we don't know what's going to happen in the future."

He said an already diresituation is worsening, with an ongoing shortage of food and drinking water.

"God was helping them as rain came in. Imagine people waiting for the rain to come to drink water. It's hard situation there," Abdullahsaid.

Many of his relatives are north of Gaza and he has had no contact with them in recent days, he said.

"I think everybody in the world should stand for a ceasefire and an end to this situation. They are humans."