Last week, Croatia welcomed a new family of eight Palestinians who were relocated from war-torn Gaza to their new home in Vukovar. Esame Elaydy, the head of the family, has lived in Croatia until 2000 and returned to Gaza to care for his sick mother. He started a family there and was just about to return to Croatia when war broke out in Gaza.
Thanks to the help of the Croatian embassy in Egypt, Esame’s family managed to escape from Gaza and find refuge in Vukovar. They are now warm and safe, living in a small Slavonian house that was given to them by a resident of Vukovar who owns a construction company. The Red Cross also helped them with food, clothes, and other necessities.
Esame’s daughters are studying IT and nursing at college in Osijek, while his youngest son is an elementary school student. His wife is a nurse who hopes to continue her education in Croatia. Esame says he will do whatever it takes to make sure his family is comfortable and secure in their new home. He is grateful for the support he has received from the Croatian government and its people during this difficult time for his family.