They met through their families. He in Norway, she in Gaza. For a year they talked every day. In September they were married. They immediately started collecting documents and applying for a new passport to Rehab. The plan was to apply for family immigration as quickly as possible, and start life together in Asker, where Mousa Alhayek lives. On 6 October he returned home to Norway. In a few months, hopefully, the process would be over, and Rehab at his home. Mousa and Rehab. Photo: Mousa Alfayek Then the war broke out. Now Rehab and his family are hiding with friends in Gaza City, in the bombed-out Rimal neighborhood on the coast. Mousa had not been able to get hold of her for 10 days when he first spoke to news. He sits in Norway and desperately tries to help her out of the country. But because he cannot apply on Rehab’s behalf, there is little the Norwegian authorities can do to get her out of the country. – It is heartbreaking that neither UD nor UDI can help me and my dear Rehab. It is tragic in general to see Palestinians being wiped out, especially my other half. It is only luck if she survives, says Mousa to news. – Frustrating A total of 250 out of 270 people the Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes are connected to Norway have received help to get out of Gaza. Among them, there must be cases where an ongoing application for family reunification has been a sufficient basis for helping Palestinian citizens out of the war zone. But for Mousa and Rehab there is little hope. In answers news has seen, both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UDI say that Rehab must apply for family immigration themselves. Something Mousa says is impossible, because all of the public offices where she can collect documents are closed. Photo: Caroline Utti / news – When I was there, we sent papers to the West Bank, because that is where the Palestinian authorities issue passports. But they never came forward, or back, because everything was shut down when the war broke out, says Mousa. – How does it feel to know that several people have been evacuated because they have applied for family reunification? – It is frustrating to see that someone has succeeded, while when I try to get help, I don’t get it, Mousa replies. Mohammed Abuowda’s wife is too young to come to Norway, according to UDI. Photo: Gerd Johanne Braadland / news – I’m almost drugged Also in Bergen, a despairing young man is fighting to get his wife to Norway. Mohammed Abuowda and Rasha met at the library in Gaza in the summer of 2021. She was looking for a book he had just bought in Egypt. The library didn’t have it, and Rasha got to borrow Mohammed’s. Since then it has been them. In March 2023, they were finally married. Because Rasha is 20 while Mohammed is 24, they knew they had to wait to seek family reunification. Mohammed and Rasha. Photo: Mohammed Abuowda The rules of the UDI state that both partners must be 24 before the spouse abroad can come to Norway. The plan was for Rasha to finish her studies in Gaza before possibly moving here. Then there was war, and Mohammed’s struggle to get Rasha to Norway began. They have occasional contact, when Rasha has access to the internet. According to Mohammed, her family’s house was bombed. news has seen the correspondence both Mohammed and Mousa have had with UDI and Foreign Affairs, which confirms what they say. – I’m over the sad phase now. I’m almost numb. I can’t do anything. I have contacted everyone, he says. No one will answer questions news first contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and UDI with questions about the cases of Mousa and Mohammed. None of them have answered news’s questions, but sent general statements. UDI refers to an instruction from the Ministry of Justice on who in Gaza should receive an entry permit to Norway, in addition to Norwegian citizens and residents with a residence permit. In the instructions, there are two groups that will receive a national visa to Norway: Parents traveling with minor children who are Norwegian citizens from Gaza, but who are not themselves Norwegian citizens or have a residence permit in Norway, and who are covered by assisted exit from Gaza under by the Norwegian authorities. Minor child of a Norwegian citizen who travels with a sibling who is a Norwegian citizen, but who is not a Norwegian citizen himself or has a residence permit in Norway. – Furthermore, it is the case that UDI has granted entry permits to Norway in accordance with these instructions, as soon as the relevant persons have crossed the border into Egypt and this has been confirmed by Norwegian representatives on the spot. Questions about why this type of circle of people has been chosen must be addressed to the Ministry of Justice, writes Per-Jan Brekke in UDI to news. news has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UDI and the Ministry of Justice these questions. What determines whether a Palestinian citizen has enough connection to Norway for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist in the evacuation of him/her? Can the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UDI make exceptions in an exceptional situation? Are you considering making exceptions? Is each case assessed individually? How many Norwegian Palestinians have contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UDI for help evacuating their families since the war broke out, and how many of these have been refused? How should residents of Gaza apply for a residence permit or family reunification in a war situation with closed borders? Alhayek says it feels unfair that others who have had time to apply for family reunification are helped out, while his wife has to stay. What does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say about that? By not meeting the age requirement for family immigration, the spouse of Mohammed Abuowda is “too young” to evacuate. What does UD think about it? Can it be relevant to make exceptions for spouses, children and other close family? How many with Norwegian connections are still left in Gaza? Are the Norwegian authorities in contact with everyone? Will they be able to be evacuated to Cairo in the near future? If parents and siblings of Norwegian children can travel abroad, why not children, spouses and siblings of Norwegians? How should people living in a blocked war zone apply for residence and family immigration from there? The Ministry of Justice also gives the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the opportunity to make a decision to grant an entry permit in urgent cases, according to the instructions. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not answer news’s questions, but refers to the Ministry of Justice. Rasha photographed in the library where she and Mohammed met. Photo: Mohammed Abuowda – We cannot comment on individual cases. On our list are Norwegian citizens and persons with valid residence in Norway, as well as parents and siblings of Norwegian children traveling with them, writes Siri Svendsen in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to news. State Secretary Even Eriksen (Ap) in the Ministry of Justice has also not responded to news’s questions, but sent a general statement through communications adviser Andreas Bjørklund. – We politicians cannot go into individual cases, but what I can say is that during the evacuation a thorough and good job was done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under difficult circumstances, with assistance from the immigration authorities and the police. – Relevant persons were mapped and listed for assisted exit, and based on these lists, instructions were given from the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Management regarding entry permits, he writes. Eriksen adds that he is worried about the Norwegian citizens who are still in Gaza.
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– It is heartbreaking – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
