Dear humanity,

My name is Ibrahim Lubbad, 39 years old from Gaza City, and I am reaching out desperately for the safety of my family and myself.

So, let me swear to you.

My family here consists of my wife Shaima (32 years old), my two young sons Eyas (10 years old), Tamim (7 years old), and me. It is Tragically that we were left to face the hardships of life in Gaza alone.

Our Demolished House

After I lived in a rented flat for 10 years, my wife and I were able to buy a new flat in the summer of 2022. The building is located in the Al-Nasr neighborhood, west of Gaza City. We paid all our savings, and my wife sold her own jewelry as well. I also wrote post-dated checks.

We supervised its preparation and paid attention to all the beautiful details in it, but unfortunately before we completed one year in our new home, the war broke out in Gaza.

During the night of the tenth day of the war, the bombing intensified in the areas surrounding us, and the bombing became closer and closer to us without any prior warning (as shown in the video that my wife filmed from the balcony of the house)

so we were forced to flee in the middle of the night at 2:00 AM, and we went down to hide in the basement of the building (As shown in the picture) All of this happened quickly and it was a terrifying night with the sounds of explosions unforgettable.

The next day we were able to leave the basement and discovered that the sixth and seventh floors of the building we lived in had been destroyed, and our flat was on the seventh floor.

Our home was destroyed and they left us nothing except memories, debts and outstanding checks

Since that day we have been living homeless and have been forced to endure unimaginable conditions and constant fear for the past seven months. We had to flee south and now we live in a small tent (which I made by myself) that lacks the minimum basics required for living

My youngest son's Illness

Every day we hear the terrifying sound of explosions, and see the horrific bloody scenes of the wounded, and the situation is getting worse. While I was trying hard to steel myself against the terror and horror, it was unbearable for me to see my family, especially my son, suffer.

My son Tamim has a heart health disease. He underwent surgery at Wolfson Hospital in Tel Aviv in May 2023, but his suffering continued and he was scheduled to continue his treatment in the same hospital in November 2023 as described in the attached medical report.

The current situation in Gaza prevented him from completing his treatment due to the closure of the crossings and the collapse of the health system in Gaza due to the war

His condition is getting worse day by day, and the thought of him enduring this torture hurts me and breaks my heart. I spent countless days, praying and begging for something to happen. My beloved youngest son deserves a better, healthier life, away from the darkness of conflict.

Working background

I work as a sales manager in one of the largest and most successful private companies in Gaza (Badri and Haniyeh Group of Companies). Unfortunately, the company was completely destroyed and I became jobless and without income under these difficult circumstances.

My wife also works as a lawyer. She stopped working as soon as the war broke out, and she also has no source of income

In the following picture is the headquarters of the company I worked for before and after the bombing

Life under war in Gaza

Life in Gaza has become a constant struggle for survival. We've faced death multiple times as neighboring buildings were targeted, the situation became worse and more terrifying when the building in which we live was targeted which forcing us to evacuate and flee to the southern regions.

We've endured scarcity of food, clean water, and basic necessities. Electricity, water, and internet access are luxuries we can no longer have.

We use E-SIMs every once in a while, to access internet. Prices have skyrocketed, making even the most basic items unattainable. Cooking gas is scarce, forcing us to cook for hours over open fires (shown down where we are making meal over fire). Transportation is limited to donkey carts, as fuel for vehicles is nearly nonexistent.

Due to overcrowding and the displacement of a very large number of people to the southern regions and due to the limited geographical space, I was not able to find an empty land to build our tent in except an area located east of Deir al-Balah

We are currently residing in a very dangerous area only a few kilometers away from war tanks.

We have nowhere else to turn. We have no choice but to stay in this tent in very bad conditions. We suffered during last winter without enough warm clothes, blankets, or mattresses, and now the suffering continues in a different way as summer approaches and temperatures rise significantly, as there is no escape from the heat and sunlight.

My eldest son had a bad flu and stomach illness recently, adding to our despair.

It is estimated that more than 150,000 Gazans are either killed, wounded, kidnapped or missing. Every day that we remain in Gaza is the terrifying reality of us not surviving the next bombing. I've shared our story, pouring my soul into every plea for help, hoping that someone, somewhere out there, hears our desperate cry.

The world may be so far and so cruel, but the love I have for my wife and children ignites a fire inside me that will never be extinguished. I dream of a day when we can leave this place, even for a while, to get the medicine my little boy so desperately needs. A fundraiser may be our only hope.

Purpose of This Campaign

Our only hope for escape lies in crossing the Egyptian-Rafah border, but the journey is fraught with challenges. Egyptian authorities demand exorbitant fees for coordination and passage. We simply cannot afford this on our own.

Your donation will help cover the unfortunately very high fees of evacuating me and my family across the border to Egypt and to help us have modest funds to sustain ourselves as we begin to rebuild our lives. I am transferring the funds through my friend, Mahmoud, in Canada to a trusted family friend in Egypt who will pay the Egyptian authorities through Hala Travel Company. This company is responsible for facilitating the transfer of passengers through the Egyptian-Palestinian hall at the Rafah crossing. Payments will be made in person in the company’s office in Nasr City, Cairo to help us cross the border.

Breakdown of Expenses:

• Evacuating me and my wife: $10,000 ($5,000 per +16 adult)

• Evacuating Eyas and Tamem: $5,000 ($2,500 per child)

• Five Months Living Expenses in Egypt: $6,000

• GoFundMe Fees: $840

• Bank Transfer Fee: $600

So, I hope we can raise $22,400 approximately 31,000 CAD $ in donations

Any surplus funds will be dedicated to supporting children, providing food, and funding medical treatments in Gaza. Your support means more than just financial assistance.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity,