Evacuate the Zamli Family from Genocide to Safety!

Hi, my name is Arwa and I'm an Arab-American therapist living in Florida. I am fundraising to rescue our friends the Al Zamlis (Feras, Qamar, Mehedi, and Muna) from the brutal war taking place in their home of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Zamlis have done a huge amount of work in the community during the war (giving free haircuts at UNRWA shelters, building tents and shelters, purchasing necessary food, and many other efforts.) We must now help THEM in their time of need as well!

It is URGENT that we help the Zamlis evacuate a war zone immediately. Egypt has raised the border cost significantly so their escape from hardship will ONLY be possible through this fundraising campaign. They are counting on us! (Breakdown of funds detailed below.)

Please share widely and donate generously, as if this were your own family and friends! Help us support them to reach peace and freedom after having their lives turned upside down so brutally. Thank you so much for your support!

Family in Crisis:

Our friends, the Zamlis, are in extreme danger due to the military bombardment of their hometown of Rafah. There are daily bombings and attacks; the city is no longer safe for them. The Zamlis have not been able to work for four months due to the war in Gaza and are just scraping by on minimal food and water, little electricity, all while experiencing constant fear and shock of bombings around them. Several members of the family have urgent medical needs and their lives are in danger every moment. Prices have soared in Gaza and it's a daily struggle for them to meet their basic needs.

Video of wartime scenes by our friend Feras al Zamli

The Zamli family have asked us to help them cross the border into Egypt where they can begin a journey toward rebuilding their lives. Time is of the essence! Help us get them across the border into Egypt so they are safe from the increasing, indiscriminate attacks on their city of Rafah.

Breakdown of Funds:

It costs $9,000 per adult to cross the border into Egypt, $36,000 total for all four of them.

We hope to surpass the fundraiser by $3,000 to help cover GoFundMe fees and international transfer taxes. All additional funds will go to interim travel expenses such as food and a temporary rental in Egypt.

Thank you for your support:

Thank you for coming together as a community to rescue the Zamlis from a brutal war! Time is of the essence! Help us get them across the border into Egypt so we know they are safe from the increasing attacks in the south of Gaza.

Please share widely and donate generously!

Meet the Zamlis:

Muna, the matriarch of their family, is 61 years old and has hypertension. The cornea of her eye is damaged and she needs an eye surgery that cannot be done in Gaza; leaving Gaza would be instrumental in salvaging her vision and health.She has been experiencing panic attacks due to the loud drones and frequent bombings. She worked tirelessly to raise her youngest children (the four who will be traveling with her) on her own after their father's death. Now that they are young adults in their twenties, her children supported her financially until the war disrupted their lives. Her children want to give Muna a calm, happy life, and to get her to safety as soon as possible.

Muna and Feras at the beach before the war

Feras just turned 27 years old yet this is the fifth (and worst) war of his life. He is the owner and operator of Feras Salon, an extremely popular men's salon in Rafah. He supports his mother and younger siblings with his work as a hair stylist. Many of his friends have died and he is constant danger himself. He desperately wants to return to his work as a hair stylist, his therapy, and to heal from these traumas. Feras says his only wish is to live in a peaceful place. Being in a safe place and living a normal life would help him regain his mental stability.

Feras, Mehedi, and friends giving haircuts to displaced children at UNRWA schools during the war

Qamar is 25 years old and a graduate of nursing school, She worked in a dental clinic and was successfully beginning her career when the war began. She dreams of doing higher education to receive her masters and become a nurse practitioner to help others, as well as work on research projects and train at a teaching hospital. Another dream of hers is to visit Germany and study there as well. Qamar has always been the biggest supporter of Feras and Mehedi; they are very close as siblings.

Feras and Qamar at the beach before the war

Mehedi is 20 years old. He is a really talented soccer player and hair stylist. Feras taught him to caught hair and he immediately fell in love with it. They own Feras Salon together and had plans to open a larger salon to accommodate their large number of clients. The war collapsed these dreams by Mehedi still hopes to move abroad so he can continue playing soccer, hopefully doing trials and play for larger teams, as well as opening a new salon with Feras so they can continue their dream and life's work.

Feras and Mehedi at their salon before the war

A full house at Feras Salon, before the war

Thank you again for your support!

Thank you for coming together as a community to help the Zamli family escape a brutal war! Time is of the essence! Help us get them across the border into Egypt so we can know they are safe from the increasing attacks in the south of Gaza.