My name is Sarah, from England (currently living in the south of Mexico), and I’m shifting my Gaza fundraiser from a global-giving campaign with big charities to this direct, grassroots effort—because the blockade in Gaza has made it nearly impossible for international aid groups to operate effectively on the ground.

Meet Ali, a father, a survivor, and a voice from the rubble of Gaza. He found me through a recent video campaign I released on my social media platform. To be sure of transparency, I had a video call with him (I am in Mexico - he is in the war zone of Gaza) I saw with my own eyes the nightmare that people are living in. This fundraiser is supporting his community. He will distribute food and supplies to his family and community - everything will be documented here for transparency.

I took my campaign off GlobalGiving because:

Humanitarian access is severely restricted: Only a fraction of planned relief missions from NGOs reach people. In northern Gaza, just half of planned shipments have gotten through

Aid distribution has become dangerous — with incidents of deadly violence at food lines, including dozens killed near U.S.-backed distribution hubs .

UN and Oxfam report severe pipeline disruptions — thousands of trucks delayed, bombed, or looted, leaving vast areas cut off and starving .

As a result, most charities are either restricted or non-operational on the ground today — making local, self-sustained help the only way to get food to families now.

Their Story (in his own words)

“Before the war, I lived in luxury… I had a wedding hall, a modern car, a house and land to farm. The war came. My wedding hall and vehicle were completely destroyed…

I have 4 children — Omar Al‑Akbar, Mohammed, Jabal, Abboud — my wife is nine months pregnant. My elderly mother and injured brother’s family live with us in a small apartment in central Gaza. There’s no water, no gas, we carry water manually from far away. We’ve been displaced, lost everything.”

“My children haven’t even eaten bread for two months... all we want is flour and lentils.”

“If you send money, I will cook and distribute food parcels—flour, rice, lentils—to families like mine. I will photograph every purchase, every distribution.”

“The price of a 25 kg flour bag is $400, rice $20/kg, lentils $15/kg, gas tank $800 — many now cook over firewood… My skin infection and medical needs go untreated, and there’s no bread for my kids.”

Every night, these people sleep not knowing if they’ll see the morning. He told me that his children have forgotten what bread tastes like.

And still, Ali finds the strength to care for others around him. He told me, “I share everything I have. Even if I have only one bottle of water, I give half to another family.” His resilience moves me to tears.

He said, “Please, don’t forget us. Please help me protect my children. I am not asking for myself — I am asking for them.”

These are not just statistics. These are real people, with names, with stories, with beating hearts.

Ali’s message to the world:

“I am Ali, living in Gaza. I sleep with my children on the ground. Every night we pray that the sky doesn’t fall on us. Please, if you read this, remember us. Don’t let our children be forgotten.”

Anything you can do to help is appreciated greatly.

God Bless us all through these ages.

GoFundMe:

Receiver: Sarah Hanif, Birmingham, UK

Funds: Will be directed to Ali Jabal, Northern Gaza

Distribution: To be spent on food and essential supplies. The payment will be sent via PayPal.