Maiko Shirane, who worked in the Gaza Strip as a member of the international NGO Médecins Sans Frontières and evacuated to Egypt in response to the clashes between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas, arrived at Haneda Airport on the evening of May 5 and gave an interview to the media.
Ms. Shirane, who has been involved in medical support activities, has been evacuating in the Gaza Strip for more than three weeks amid heavy airstrikes since the clashes between Israel and Hamas began on the 7th of last month, and on the 3st of this month, she evacuated to Egypt and arrived at Haneda Airport around 1 p.m. on the 5th.
At the airport, four members of Médecins Sans Frontières Japan greeted Shirane, applauded and hugged him, and were happy to see him return home safely.
Speaking to the press, Shirane said, "It was like a long marathon with no end in sight, but I am relieved to be back in Japan now.
On the other hand, he said, "Even after evacuating to Egypt, I continue to feel like I am between my dreams and reality, and I have mixed feelings because I can't forget Gaza and I hope that the tragic situation will stop as soon as possible."
He also said, "Tokyo seen from the outside of the airplane window was sparkling and beautiful, and I wondered why it was so different from Gaza even though it was under the same sky.
He also talked about the three weeks he spent in the Gaza Strip since the 11th of last month, saying, "The Gaza Strip was a dangerous zone, but civilians usually went to work, laughed with their families, and drank tea at cafes with friends. Since the start of the battle on October 4th, we have not been able to live a normal life at all, and we have witnessed that daily life can be destroyed in an instant. When I watch the news at the airport, I feel sad and angry that the situation in the Gaza Strip is still difficult."
When asked about the person he would most like to meet, he said, "I want to show my family a cheerful face and spend time with my family while looking at their faces.
Regarding his future involvement in the Gaza Strip, he said, "There was nothing I could do on the ground, and my presence had become a burden on the local staff, but now I think the only thing I can do is to go back to Japan and tell everyone that war is tragic."