We survived death, will you help us stay alive?

Hello, my name is Motasem Hateem. I live with my family in Gaza, Palestine. We are a family of 8: my father Hatem (51 years old), my mother Amal (49 years old), myself Motasem (22 years old), my sister Sanaa (23 years old), my brother Musab (19 years old), my brother Mohamed (16 years old), and our twin sister Hala (16 years old).

We lived a simple life in our home in the Tel Sultan area in Rafah, despite the harsh circumstances and constant bombing. However, we found hope in the simplest moments. But everything changed suddenly. When the occupation forces began to escalate their military operations in our area, none of us were prepared for the catastrophe that would unfold. We had to leave our home and abandon everything we had lived for. We gathered what we could carry and started a journey of displacement.

We first moved to the Shakush area between Rafah and Khan Younis, where we set up a small tent as a shelter. But as usual in Gaza, safety was elusive. After a month of staying there, the occupation forces began to advance, and they fired shots above our heads. Every moment felt like we were on the edge of death. The occupation destroyed our tent, and we ran for shelter to the nearest safe place, but even that wasn’t safe.

Then, we moved to the Qeizan al-Najjar area, where we tried to settle, but the occupation issued evacuation warnings. At that moment, we realized there was no safe place left for us in Gaza. With every step, our suffering deepened, and our choices became more limited.

Finally, we reached the Muwassi area behind Al-Aqsa University in Khan Younis. We found a small piece of land covered with rubble and stones, which we turned into our last refuge. After five days of hard work under the scorching sun, we managed to set up our tent, along with my uncle’s tent and my two cousins’ tents. It became our home after a long journey of displacement

But a week ago, the occupation forces surrounded us with tanks and military forces, forcing us to flee once again. This time, we couldn't take anything with us. We left everything behind and tried to find a new place to seek shelter. We are now in urgent need of a tent, as we have no shelter

Despite everything we’ve been through, hope still resides in our hearts, and we believe there are people who care about us and support us

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This is our story, and we hope you find a place in your heart to support us. We are in desperate need of help

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Campaign Goals:

1. Provide Basic Necessities: Support us with food, drink, and clothing, as we are struggling to secure the most basic daily needs in Gaza.

2. Provide Shelter: We currently have no tent. We need your help to buy a tent that will provide us with a place to live, away from the harsh conditions and constant bombing.

3. Escape Gaza: Provide the necessary support to help us leave Gaza and search for a better life away from the occupation.

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Our family’s suffering is not only material but also psychological and physical. We’ve lived in constant fear of airstrikes and have endured the pain of displacement, moving from place to place. Each time we were forced to flee, our hope for a normal life faded. But we have never lost hope, because we know there are people who care about us. Your support may be the only lifeline we have

Every donation, no matter how small, will make a huge difference in our lives and help us build a future filled with dignity and hope

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This campaign is being managed by our friend Danila Rainow from Australia, who kindly helped us set up this fundraiser. All the funds raised will be transferred to us (the Hateem family) to help secure our survival

Written by Motasem Hateem, Rafah – Palestine

My personal Facebook account, where I post some of