Evacuate Bahjat

My name is Jamil Siddiqui and I'm a 27-year old living in Washington, D.C. helping fundraise for my friend Bahjat to evacuate into Egypt and eventually make his way to Malaysia.

Bahjat was displaced from his home in the city to a tent camp in Rafah with excruciating conditions. Most people don't have access to food, water, or any kind of medical care there. Bahjat has been helping distribute funds to orphaned children, elderly people, disabled people, and widows who are not able to support themselves. He spends his days gathering water and food for his family and the most needy people in his camp.

Living conditions are unbearable, with famine and disease more pervasive with each passing day, and an imminent ground invasion of Rafah threatening to take their lives. Bahjat can't sleep at night because the haunting, endless sound of fighter jets and shelling that being with them more agony, grief, and loss.

In his own words, "Unfortunately, there is no safe place at all. We are waiting for our fate to decide if we live another day or will be killed."

Although Bahjat wants nothing more than to return to his home in the city, he has made the incredibly challenging decision to leave Gaza and evacuate to Egypt.

Before being displaced, Bahjat worked as a facilitator/interpreter for international delegations visiting the Strip — and as an English teacher. He worked with disabled students in particular and provided psychological counseling to children who had lost their parents as a result of the siege. Now, many of his students and family members have been injured or martyred. Bahjat has significant academic experience and hopes to find a better life with the aspiration to one day return to a free Falastine.

He needs our help, and his message is clear: "Your support, through standing with us provides us with steadfastness and resilience."

Please donate whatever you can and share this fundraiser everywhere you can to help Bahjat. Thank you for your support and God bless you.