A woman whose father tried to flee the besieged Gaza Strip six times said he finally managed to reach safety today, Sunday, after the Rafah border crossing with Egypt reopened following a two-day closure.

Dalia Salim said her 66-year-old father crossed the border today with her uncle, an American citizen.

Salim said in a phone interview: "I feel very relieved, the biggest burden has been lifted from my shoulders." "I still feel pain for my people and my country... but on a personal level, I am really happy that my father is safe."

The authorities in the Gaza Strip also announced the reopening of the Rafah land crossing between Gaza and Egypt today, Sunday, after its closure in the previous two days.

This announcement was shared on the Facebook page where the General Authority for Crossings and Borders posts a daily list of foreigners allowed to make the trip. This list, prepared in coordination with the Egyptian and Israeli governments, had not been updated until Sunday, but it was expanded to include 266 Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and their family members until Friday.

Salim also said that her father retired last year and was spending some time in Gaza with his elderly mother before the war between Israel and Hamas broke out last month. He had tried to cross the border five times unsuccessfully before managing to leave on Sunday.

Salim added that she hopes her extended family can leave as well, noting that her father felt pain because he left them behind.

Global Affairs Canada did not immediately have any information on how many Canadians were previously allowed to cross the border and managed to make the trip on Sunday.

Also, 107 people with connections to Canada were able to leave the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing on Tuesday and Thursday of last week.