A ST Louise's teacher says she is 'heartbroken' over the safety of three Palestinian girls and their teacher who stayed with her on a trip to Belfast last year.
Mairead Robb is an Art teacher at the West Belfast school, which was involved in an exchange programme with the Palestinian students in September last year. The Hands Up project saw children from around the world arrive at St Louise's Comprehensive College for the programme.
They also visited several other schools such as St Kevin’s, Coláiste Feirste, All Saints College and Glengormley High.
The children involved with the Hands Up project last year
As part of the programme, pupils Yara, Rahaf and Malak and their teacher Rinan – who are all from Gaza – stayed with Mairead during the visit.
Following the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Mairead is fearing for the safety of the three children and Rinan as the bombardment of air strikes on Gaza continues amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, a devastated Mairead said she is frantically trying to keep in touch with the children and their teacher.
"When the bombing started, I just thought where are the children, Yara, Rahaf and Malak and their teacher Rinan? They all stayed in my house last year. My daughter has kept in touch with the girls on social media for the past year.
"I have been in contact with the teachers, Rinan, who stayed with me and Raja'a who stayed with another host. They are younger than me and both have five children each.
"As of Tuesday, I know Malak is in the south of Gaza. She sent me a message on Tuesday saying 'I am alive'. Rahaf is in the North. I haven’t heard from her in a week and I have had no contact at all with Yara.
"As for the teachers, Rinan is in the south and sheltering in a hospital with her husband who is a dentist and their five children. Raja'a was the other teacher who stayed with another host. The last I heard she was still in the North of Gaza with her five children but there has been no contact in a week."
Mairead recalled the special bond she developed with the three children and a real friendship with Rinan.
"We had an absolute ball when they were here last year. We did so much over the ten days," she explained.
Mairead, with Yara, Rahaf and Malak at St Louise's Comprehensive College in an art class
"You don’t realise how much of a life you have here until you meet people who don’t. The girls and teachers loved outdoor spaces like Botanic Gardens. There are no green spaces in Gaza.
"They were blown away by flowers and nature. I remember the excitement of them all. It was a surreal experience for me too. They all had ambitions to travel and see the world like any other young child but you knew also by looking into their eyes that it was a slim hope.
"I had such an amazing bond with Rinan. We laughed over the silliest things. We connected over talking about things like cooking, family, education, nature and things like that.
"Her last message to me read, 'My dear, all the things we talked about is all gone. Thank God l am still alive. l am now staying in a hospital with my family as a shelter. We sit on the ground outside the hospital building seeking safety in hope they will not bomb the hospital area though there is no guarantee. The humanitarian situation here is disastrous. We have no food and no water or even electricity.'
Mairead also shared with us harrowing messages from the other teacher Raja'a.
'My kids are horrified. They have stopped playing and even talking. I am very worried about them. All we want is the air strikes to stop. We don't want to be killed. If I die, I want you to know that I have been so lucky to have known you. I wish I had spent more time with you and got to know you better.'
As the conflict continues, Mairead is hoping and praying for the safety of everyone in Gaza, especially children Yara, Rahaf and Malak and teachers Rinan and Raja'a.
"This is not about politics or land or superpowers or anything like that. It is about innocent children and families. We want to spread the word about the children.
"I have cried so many times over the past two weeks. I just hope it all this ends soon."
