Gaza Relief - A Lifeline for Ayman's Family

Gaza Relief - A Lifeline for Ayman's Family

Hello - My name is Ayman Lubad, and I am reaching out to you in a moment of great urgency and need for my family and me. I am a legal researcher at the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, and I have spent my career advocating for justice and human rights. However, the recent events have taken an unimaginable toll on my family, and I am now seeking your support.

As my wife was giving birth at Al Shifa hospital late October 2023, I heard news that my personal home in Gaza city got destroyed. I immediately sought refuge along with my wife and three kids (including my newborn), to my family’s home in Beit Lahiya. On the morning of December 7, Israeli soldiers entered my family’s neighborhood in Beit Lahiya, detaining me for 8 days without anyone knowing the conditions and my whereabouts. During this time, my family faced the harsh reality of conflict, and tragically, my younger brother lost his life when a shell hit close to our home.

Now, I find myself stuck in Rafah with limited contact with my grieving family, desperately trying to reunite with them. On 05/01/2024, sensing the risk of direct shooting and shelling, my family fortunately moved to a house nearby their home. Two days later my family’s home took a hit by a shell that left everything destroyed (picture above). Fortunately, they sensed the urgency to leave just hours before the shelling, and they moved to a home closeby in the devastated neighborhood. My family, consisting of my wife, two children, parents, and siblings - a total of 12 people - are in urgent need of assistance to leave the perilous north of Gaza and find temporary refuge in Rafah until we manage our temporary exit to Egypt. We are being asked to pay $7,500 for each individual in the family to secure their exit through Rafah crossing ($90,000), and the financial lifeline for our subsequent two-month stay in Egypt ($10,000). Our goal is $100,000, and your contribution will help us secure the safety and stability my family needs during these challenging times.

Breakdown of Funds:

Securing exit fees from Gaza to Egypt: $90,000

Two-month lifeline support in Egypt: $10,000

I have been interviewed by various agencies, shedding light on the situation and advocating for the rights of my people. You can find these interviews here:

Link 1: Inside Israel's torture camp for Gaza detainees (972mag.com)

Link 2: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights - PCHR: Human rights defender Ayman Lubbad speaks of his detention by Israeli occupying forces in #Gaza

Link 3: Disparitions humiliations et mauvais traitements : le calvaire des civils de Gaza arrêtés par Israël (Le Monde)

Link 4: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/israelopt-deep-concern-enforced-disappearance-detention-and-ill-treatment-human

Link 5: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/23/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-palestinian-detainees.html

Quote: "Mr. Lubbad, himself a human rights worker with the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, said his detention lasted a week. In the first moments, he said, he told himself he would do whatever the soldiers ordered. “We didn’t know what awaits us,” he said. His hands were tied with rope that immediately began digging into his skin, he said. The detainees were forced into trucks, blindfolded and hands restrained, still in their underwear, as soldiers hit them, Mr. Lubbad said. They were then driven for hours into Israel."

I commit to providing weekly updates on our progress, as long as internet connection permits. Your support, be it big or small, is a beacon of hope for my family's journey to safety and a more secure future. Your kindness, compassion, and generosity mean the world to us. Thank you for being part of our story and helping us navigate through these challenging times.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Ayman Lubbad