She calls Brantford home, but the family of an eight-year-old girl says she is trapped in Gaza with few options to get out.
The girl travelled to Gaza in the beginning of June with her father, before any of the fighting began.
Her mother is now calling on the Canadian government's help for her safe return.
“It is hard for me as a mom, it is very hard,” said Wesam Abuzaiter.
Abuzaiter, a Canadian citizen, is pleading for help, asking Canada to step in and bring her little girl home to Brantford.
“I just wanted them to offer some help that's all that I wanted,” she said.
Abuzaiter says the department of foreign affairs has not been able to find a way to get Salma out of Gaza without her father.
Father Hassan Abuzaiter is a pediatric emergency physician with a contract position at the European General Hospital in Gaza City.
Salma went along with him to spend time with her grandparents.
On July 9th foreign affairs advised Canadians to leave Gaza. Abuzaiter says her husband, who has been working 24-hour days, feels compelled to stay and treat the wounded.
“He told me . . . I do understand it’s our daughter, but you have to understand that there are so many kids the same age as her that are needing me here,” she said.
Abuzaiter says early on, Canadian officials told her to put her daughter on a United Nations bus alone, on a five hour ride to Jordan. That's something she just wasn't comfortable with.
In an email statement to CTV, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Beatrice Fenelon said, “as the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the ability of Canadian officials to provide consular assistance is becoming increasingly limited.”
Salma's uncle has also offered to escort the little girl to neighbouring Egypt, but the family says they will need Canada’s help with immigration paper work.
