Note: A group of us are raising money to help our close friend evacuate Gaza for the sake of education and to support his family from abroad. We decided to do this initiative in light of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Below is the complete message from Abdelrahman.

-------------------------------------------

こんにちは

Hello everyone,

My name is Abdelrahman Abushbeka, though I often go by Abood. I’m a recent Computer Science graduate from the Islamic University of Gaza. Recently, I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a prestigious scholarship program in Japan, to pursue my master's studies in Computer Science at the University of Tsukuba. In fact, I’m the only student from Gaza to be awarded this scholarship in the past 4 years! However, I am now faced with a daunting obstacle that threatens to derail my dreams.

Throughout my life in Gaza, I have experienced at least 5 wars, a suffocating 17-year-old blockade, and an ongoing genocide, all of which have been documented as part of my daily life on my Instagram account @boodzadood. Despite all these challenges, I have still managed to excel academically in order to pursue my ambitions and dreams, consistently earning recognition as one of the top students in my class. In fact, two years ago, I was selected from my class to represent my university in the Erasmus+ student exchange program in Sapienza Università di Roma to continue my studies in Computer Science, specifically in Artificial intelligence.

My Letter of Acceptance into the University of Tsukuba, Japan.

As of February 15, Gaza has been engulfed in a brutal genocide for 131 days. My family and I are trapped in a war zone where airstrikes and death are a daily reality. The only means of escape is through the Rafah Crossing, but the demanded expensive fees make it nearly impossible for individuals like myself to leave.

I live in Rafah, and as you may know, the situation is getting increasingly dangerous here. The week of February 11 has been the most brutal in the genocide that my family and I had to endure. With the imminent threat of a ground invasion, I’m afraid that the Rafah Crossing will close soon, and that I might lose my chance for this scholarship, hindering my opportunity to achieve my dreams.

The Two Photos Above Are the Same Spot my Graduation Picture was Taken in, Before my University was Bombed and Destroyed.

I am reaching out to you, my friends, family, and compassionate strangers, in a desperate plea for help. I urgently need to raise funds to cover the costs of the temporary permit (تنسيق/Tanseeq) required by Rafah Crossing to leave Gaza, which can amount to $5000 USD or more. Additionally, as I’ve spent my life savings trying to survive in these harsh circumstances with absurdly expensive essential goods, I am in need of funds to support myself during the first month and a half in Japan until my scholarship stipend is released. The recommended amount by the scholarship committee for the grantee is to bring at least $2000 USD.

Any additional funds raised beyond these immediate needs will be used to support my family who remain in Gaza, enduring the horrors of war.

An Image of my Neighborhood Before the War.

Images Of The Airstrikes In My Neighborhood And The Destruction It Left After

I’m making an extremely difficult decision here. I wish that I could take my whole family outside of Gaza to escape the genocide, but unfortunately, it’s an unfeasible task. We’re 23 individuals, and each temporary permit costs $5000 USD or more which amounts to greater than $115,000 USD in total for the entire family! That’s not counting their basic needs such as shelter, food, and water. It’s simply an impossible amount to be gathered in such a short period of time.

A Wall, Dividing Life and Death, A Testament to a Dystopian Reality Where Lives are Divided, Some Privileged, Others Not, Yet I Stand, Observing, From The Unprivileged Side.

My family has nowhere else to go besides Gaza. Our only home is Gaza, and we miraculously have not lost it yet. It’s been damaged, but not lost. Leaving my family suffering in Gaza without having the ability to relocate them is extremely heartbreaking for me, but your donations will help in enabling me to relocate my family one step at a time in the future, which will help them continue their education, livelihoods, and other lively affairs in a safer place.

Here's some Pictures of my Little Furry Friend Asal. She’s a Bit Grumpy.

Your generosity and support can make all the difference in allowing me to escape the imminent danger in Gaza and to continue my education in Japan. Every donation, no matter how small, brings me one step closer to safety and a brighter future.

Images From My Refugees Camp In Rafah.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering supporting my journey. Your kindness and compassion give me hope in these dark times.

With gratitude,

Abdelrahman

ありがとう

Note: In the unfortunate event of my death during this genocide, all funds raised will be redirected to support my family's needs. In addition, the fees for leaving Rafah Crossing are highly fluctuating at all times, and they could reach higher or lower than $5000 USD. At one point, they reached $10,000 USD per person! If the fees reach higher than $5000 USD, we'll readjust the goal later on. but if the fees were to be less than $5000 USD, the rest of the funds will go towards helping me resettle in Japan, and towards supporting my family in Gaza.