KUALA LUMPUR: "Why didn't Baba bring me back to Malaysia?" asked Haura', to her father Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman.
The question left him emotional and lost for words.
Haura' asked the question when the Cinta Gaza Malaysia (CGM) chief executive officer had a brief opportunity to connect with his wife and daughter through a video call just minutes before they were instructed to evacuate the heavily bombarded Khan Younis area in southern Gaza yesterday.
Nadir said that he could only console his daughter as it was impossible to evacuate his family from Gaza in the current emergency with the borders closed due to continuous Israeli attacks.
"Yesterday, she (Haura') was upset and angry, questioning why I didn't bring her to Malaysia. She ran to the corner of the room, searched for something in the emergency bag, and pulled out her passport.
"She showed it to me, saying her passport was ready, and asked when I could take her out of Gaza.
"I remained silent and reassured her that, God willing, she would be brought out soon.
"For those wondering, the border is currently closed, and the exit is extremely challenging, aside from the special permission required for my stepchildren to leave the land (Gaza)," he shared in an Instagram post last night.
He said as the head of the family, he is undoubtedly troubled by the safety of his wife and daughter in the tumultuous country, but he entrusts everything to Allah for their protection.
"After our conversation was cut off yesterday, a few hours later, I was informed that they had to move to another area, seeking shelter and mercy wherever Allah permits.
"Pray that they are given patience, strength, and resilience to live in these challenging and difficult circumstances.
"For now, God willing, they will endure there, and with your prayers, they will always be protected by Allah," he said.
For the record, Nadir left Gaza for several matters in Malaysia before the conflict erupted on Oct 7.
Since then, he has been separated from his wife and daughter, only managing to connect with them a few times as the internet and telecommunication networks faced disruptions.
Despite facing challenges, including difficulties in sending aid through the Rafah border and restricted movement throughout the conflict, the CGM team remains unwavering in their efforts to ensure that every donation from the Malaysian people reaches the residents of Gaza.
"Even in this wartime phase, the CGM team continues to be on the ground, assisting the people of Gaza.
They are making every effort to bring joy to the children taking refuge in Gaza shelters to alleviate their trauma.
"As of Nov 10, the CGM team has successfully delivered RM5,482,748.11 worth of immediate aid, including food boxes, hot meals, medical supplies, financial assistance, fuel supplies, and rescue equipment in Gaza.
"So far, the total collection has reached approximately RM49.29 million, but the required amount is still far from enough as the targets change according to the current needs of the population now severely attacked by Israel on the 59th day of the war," he added.