Help Mohammad survive war in Gaza and Support Children

Mohammed Abdulkareem is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of María Castillo.

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Hello, my name is Mohammed Abed, and I am from Gaza City. I studied engineering at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. My family and I enjoyed beautiful days in a beautiful house. Our simple life was completely destroyed when our house was bombed on October 27, 2023 (pictures below). We lost everything we owned.

My immediate family, including me, my wife, our four children, my father, my mother, my sister and my brother, fled first to a house inside the country outside Shujaiya and then to the Nuseirat camp in a house we rented that was also bombed. My family and I were attacked by civil defense crews and ambulances and were taken to Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat and received treatment. 27 people were killed in this strike. We narrowly escaped death and many confrontations with death. We fled to Rafah. I once dreamed of becoming a computer engineer and world-class programmer, but the war shattered my dreams and my family's dreams.

I was working for a software company here in Gaza and for other companies on Upwork. I was doing well and had many happy clients when the genocide started. Since our house was bombed, I lost my laptop, my clients, and my source of income. I don’t have the money to buy another one. Then we went to Al-Bureij camp and my sister’s husband’s house was bombed with more than 40 shells. We called the Red Cross and the Civil Defense to no avail. We left there on our own under the occupation’s artillery and walked about 10 km until we reached Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. After that, the hospital was threatened and the occupation army asked us to leave the hospital. We fled to Rafah. After living homeless for 7 days on the streets of Rafah, we secured tents and this is where we are now. Our children are cold and hungry, we lack health supplies, we drink contaminated water, and we don’t have enough food, which increases our suffering. The war has been devastating and we are facing unimaginable hardships. We fear an imminent invasion by the Israeli army.

I am asking for your help to move my family across the Egyptian border to safety before the invasion.

What is required:

The cost of traveling to Egypt through Yahla Travel and Tourism Company is $5,000 per person. We are a family of 7. I am Mohammed, my wife and my children Batoul, 9 years old, Karim, 5 years old, and Ward, 1 year old. My father Abdul Karim is 67 years old and my mother Khitam is 59 years old.

My mother suffers from chronic diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis.

Saving our family means overcoming financial and bureaucratic challenges. The costs of safe passage to Egypt and obtaining the necessary legal documents are major obstacles that we cannot overcome on our own.

The opportunity to evacuate to a safe place looms, but the road ahead is full of obstacles. In order to safely cross the Rafah crossing and reach Egypt, each adult must pay $5,000, and $2,500 for those under 16. Judging by conversations with friends who have crossed the border, the costs of transportation from Rafah to Egypt have increased significantly during the ongoing war.

When I arrive in Egypt, we will also need to secure housing, purchase basic items to set up our living space such as mattresses, and purchase a new laptop so I can continue working.

While our intention is to secure employment and become self-sufficient, it would be very helpful to be able to cover rent and living expenses for a few months while we process the trauma we have experienced. Additionally, my family needs immediate access to healthcare for checkups, as months of unhealthy food and exposure to various diseases have taken their toll on our shelters. The cost of all these needs is estimated at around $5,000.

Breakdown of costs:

Entry of 4 adults to Egypt = 4 x $5,000 = $20,000

Entry of 4 children to Egypt = 3 x $3,000 = $9,000

Living expenses for 3 months to move to Egypt = $5,000.

Rebuilding our shattered lives.

Your contribution is a lifeline for my family and many others like us. It will not only provide sustenance and shelter, but it will also restore the tools I need to rebuild my career as a computer engineer. Your generosity will breathe new life into our family, and ignite hope and inspiration that can help us overcome the harsh realities we face.

How you can help:

Donate: Any donation will support our efforts to cover the logistical and financial challenges of crossing the border into Egypt. Once we are settled in Egypt and resume work,

Share:

By sharing our story, you are expanding our reach beyond our immediate community, potentially saving lives.

Support:

Any guidance, resources, or assistance you can provide will be invaluable as we work toward safety and stability.

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