I am raising money on behalf of Fardos. In her words:

My name is Fardos Al-Zaq. I am 26 years old, from Gaza City, Palestine, and I have a small family of two children. My eldest child is named Kinan, and he is only 6 years old. My little girl is 3 years old. I used to live in my beautiful home where my husband and children were safe, but my life was turned upside down when my home was completely destroyed. On December 12, my elderly father was killed by the Israeli occupation forces. He was defending his home and did not want to surrender. Then the treacherous planes came and dropped a missile on his body, so he bled to death and was martyred.

I was displaced to the Deir al-Balah area, and now I live in a tent that does not protect us from the sun or the cold of winter. It is very hot in the morning, and very cold in the evening. My children and I are in constant fear and terror. My son Kinan used to study in a kindergarten and had a teacher, but now there is no kindergarten because it was destroyed by the occupation and his teacher was martyred.

We wear the same clothes for a week or more without changing because of the difficulty of finding water. War is hard enough, but the lack of water makes everything worse. When we try to get water, we face many difficulties. There are hundreds of people who also need water, and we stand in long queues. Sometimes we return empty-handed after standing in line under the intense sun. When we manage to fill our water tank, which holds only 20 liters, it is very heavy to carry it to our tent. This small amount of water is not enough to wash dishes, clothes or bathe my children, and it is not suitable for drinking or cooking.

We struggle every day to prepare food over a wood fire because there is no electricity or gas. The smell of cooking over a fire causes allergies and coughs for me and my children. There is no healthy food, no fresh vegetables or fruits, not even meat or chicken. Because of the closure of the crossings, famine has spread, and children suffer from vitamin, iron and protein deficiencies. Prices have risen and traders are exploiting the situation. This treacherous war has caused psychological illnesses in children.