In early November 2024, Rozana Sukaik, her mother, and her brothers left Gaza to seek refuge in Egypt. What she thought would be a stay of just a few weeks has turned into 18 months, with no end in sight.
Yet Rozana and her family are among the lucky ones. With American citizenship, they were able to leave Gaza shortly after the war began.
“We only witnessed the first month of the war, until they were able to evacuate us since we have foreign passports,” she told The New Arab. “The closest and safest place next to Gaza was Egypt, so we relocated there. Since then, I’ve been here with my family.”
Living on a tourist visa, Rozana and her family must renew their residency every three months. For most Palestinians, however, legal status is harder to come by. They are only granted a 45-day visa, which has long expired for the vast majority now in the country.
At the same time, Palestinians are not under the jurisdiction of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) also does not operate in Egypt, leaving many without access to international protection or long-term support.
Although Rozana’s circumstances may be better than those of others, she still struggles to find work. A recent graduate of Al Azhar University in Gaza, she has applied to numerous jobs, but with no success.
“I discovered that no matter how much I apply, no one responds to my emails,” she added. “And it’s for two reasons: first, because I’m Gazan and second, because I don’t have a residency, even if I have a US passport. When you apply for work, they ask you to show the residency or work permission. And to get the residency, I need to have a job. I have a tourist visa, but I cannot work with it.”
Rozana eventually began working online as a translator and is now looking for a remote job, whether in the region or elsewhere.
High cost of living
While some Palestinians entered Egypt with foreign passports or on humanitarian grounds, others had to pay large sums to cross the border — often depleting their savings and worsening their financial situation.
One of them is Baraa Elghalayini, who arrived in Egypt in February 2024 with her two children. Her husband joined them shortly after.
She said they paid more than $10,000 to enter the country and were shocked by how expensive life in Egypt had become. “We were shocked with the rent prices,” she told The New Arab. “It was very expensive. We always thought of Egypt as being moderate, affordable, and not too expensive. So, when we came, we were shocked that the rents increased so much.”
At first, the family rented a furnished apartment for LE12,000 (around $236) per month. To cut costs, they later moved to an unfurnished apartment, now paying LE8,000 (about $157) per month.
As it became clear their stay in Egypt would last longer than expected, Baraa and her husband began searching for work — but struggled to find jobs that offered a stable income.
“When we came to Egypt, we tried to look for work, but salaries are very low,” she added. “It doesn’t even cover rent, so we had to look for other ways.”
To help support her family, Baraa — a former journalist — returned to work with her previous employer, a Palestinian satellite channel, presenting news about Gaza on social media. She is also an influencer, promoting Egyptian businesses and projects on Instagram. Meanwhile, her husband launched a small business selling Gaza-style coffee to friends and neighbours.
Like many others in Egypt, Baraa and her husband’s experience reflects the broader economic hardships facing the country.
Since 2021, Egypt has been grappling with severe economic turmoil. The local currency has lost around 70% of its value against the US dollar, significantly increasing the cost of living for both locals and residents.
According to the World Bank, nearly 60% of Egypt’s 100 million people live at or near the poverty line, with prices for basic goods continuing to rise.
Starting businesses
Despite the difficult circumstances, some Palestinians in Egypt are finding ways to rebuild their lives through small businesses.
Haneen Farahat is one of them. She arrived in Cairo in June 2023 and, a few months later, launched a catering business called Haneen, Gaza Kitchen. Driven by a love for traditional Palestinian cooking, she saw it as both a way to earn a living and stay connected to her roots.
Haneen and her family rent a villa in the leafy suburb of Maadi, where they host food workshops and offer catering services. Although the business is less than a year old, they already have a steady stream of workshop bookings each month and have become well known in the neighbourhood.
Still, Haneen says the income from the business isn’t enough to fully support the family.
“The business is helping cover our expenses, but rent is very expensive,” she told The New Arab. “So, we’re looking for a less expensive villa in the same district to help reduce costs.”
As more Palestinians flee to Egypt — an estimated 100,000 Gazans have entered the country since the start of the war — civil society has stepped up to support them.
One such group is the Network for Palestine, launched in January 2024 by a group of Egyptian, Palestinian, and American volunteers. The grassroots organisation runs several support programmes, including food boxes, clothing donations, mental health services, and family sponsorships.
It also helps Palestinians become financially independent by providing tools such as laptops, sewing machines, and barber kits. In addition, the initiative hosts bazaars across Cairo, giving entrepreneurs and artisans a space to sell their products.
Looking ahead, the Network for Palestine is preparing to launch a new programme — in partnership with a local organisation — that will support aspiring business owners through feasibility studies, product development, and marketing strategies.
Waiting to return
Currently, many Palestinians in Egypt are waiting to return to Gaza. Unable to work legally or enrol their children in school, they are stuck in a state of limbo. Even those who have managed to settle and integrate still feel a strong sense of duty to go back.
Omar Alfarra and his three cousins, all of whom hold Egyptian citizenship, started a coffee brand called Holyland Coffee in March 2024. Though they have been able to study, work, and build a business in Egypt, they still want to return to their homeland.
“We are Palestinians and we are Egyptians,” Omar Alfarra told The New Arab. “All my life, I’ve been between Gaza and Egypt, and I have roots in both countries. But the Palestinian identity gives us a responsibility. It makes us feel that we have a duty to stay in our land and try as much as we can, to give back to the community.”
Training to become a trauma surgeon, Omar wants to eventually return to Gaza to help treat the wounded. At the same time, he and his cousins hope to grow their coffee business and open branches in both Gaza and Egypt.
As Omar puts it, the brand is a continuation of a family legacy that goes back generations in Gaza — one they are determined to rebuild.
“We want to return to Gaza, rebuild it, and stay there,” he said.
[Cover photo: Instagram @haneengazakitchen]
As a freelance writer, May specialises in development and social issues. She has been published in international publications including Newsweek Middle East, Ms. Magazine, Global Living, Expat Go Malaysia and Kuwait Bazaar, among others
