We're raising money for Islam Hijazi and her family to survive in Gaza. Islam is a 25 year old biomedical engineer graduate, who I became friends with 5 years ago when we did a university language exchange programme during COVID-19. For the past 21 months, she has been struggling to survive, leading her mother and younger sister through 10 evacuations, losing her father, and seeing her two young nieces killed.

Last year in April 2024 we raised money to help Islam, her younger sister + mother to make the difficult decision to try leave Gaza. Over 6 months we raised just over £6000.

Unfortunately the money came too late and the borders had closed. In October 2024, she distributed a fifth of the funds to family in north to buy food (her nephew 6 years old, weighing 12kg due to malnutrition), and to start a business for a 17 y/o looking after his family, living in a tent with no source of income.

[16/10/2024, 21:18:16] Islam: What about helping a family that is living in a tent and don’t have any source of income, i want to open a small business for there 17 years old son to help them secure their basic needs?

[16/10/2024, 21:18:17] Islam: My father in law bought to them a cooker and cooking gas because they were using fire to cook for one year, i was with my finance’s family place and saw that, from that i got the idea

When ceasefire was called, Islam, her mother and sister made it back to Gaza city and reuinted with her brothers and fiance. Islam and her family used the rest of the donated funds to rebuild their house that was completely destroyed. It was a moment of hope - Islam married her fiance of two years, and continued applying for jobs and masters programmes.

In March she texted:

 [07/03/2025, 23:22:26] Islam: We have approximately finished turning my home to a place that we can live in, not the same house but still better than a tent.

Will show u soon what Gaza people has invented to repair their houses

[07/03/2025, 23:24:24] Islam: The money was more than enough for that, thank u

Need  no more of course alhamdulillh, if you can delete the GFM account that would be great, thank u alot again ❤️

 We closed the fundraiser at the end of april. She wrote: 'Despite we haven’t get out of Gaza, still the GFM helped us to restart our life in our home again'

Unfortunately three months later, the situation in Gaza is bleak - yesterday 22/07/25, 15 people were reported to have starved to death. Islam is re-opening this fundraiser out of desperation, to look after the seven people in her household.

[20/07/2025, 13:14:12] Islam: Hi amal 

How are u?

[20/07/2025, 13:14:13] Islam: I want to reactivate the GFM 

can we?

[20/07/2025, 13:14:13] Islam: The situation here is miserable, and my family in deep need for that

[20/07/2025, 13:14:13] Islam: Sorry for that

[20/07/2025, 13:17:35] Islam: The basic needs 

100$ to survive a day

[20/07/2025, 13:17:45] Islam: And this is the minimum

We are aiming to fundraise as much as possible. Unfortunately this is the best option we have at the moment. Please donate.

The below summary was from last year but I have kept it so you can see the journey so far.

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Gofundme has limited country options for bank accounts. Islam has asked me to set up the account on her behalf. She texts:

"Unfortunately, No one in Gaza is safe".

"I haven't seen my home for 180 days

And we have fled ten times

Dying is the only thing that yet to happen"

I met Islam through a language exchange programme in 2020, when she was studying biomedical engineering. Islam is now a graduated engineer, and had employment with a top Palestinian medical equipment company, Arfaloon.

Text from Islam 21/07/21: I’m good, I had started my training in the hospital on the first day of July...I have learned a lot about medical devices, it’s completely different from learning things in the books

Islam taught me basic Arabic and I helped her with English for a competitive study abroad programme application. Whilst she was successful in application and interview, Israeli apartheid rules stopped Islam from leaving Gaza to obtain a visa. Islam taught herself German and Turkish and Italian, and is deeply motivated to see the world and contribute to making biomedical technology more accessible. Alongside her biomedical work, Islam is a senior leader with Tomorrow’s Women Organisation in Ramallah.

Islam and her mother on her graduation day^

Islam, her younger sister and mother have been displaced since October 2023. They have had to leave their father and brother in northern Gaza, and have fled ten different refuges in that time. . She has not seen home in 180 days. Islam describes the experience as her worst nightmare. She has lost her baby cousins aged three and five, killed by an air strike. Her family home, workplace and fiance’s house have all been destroyed.

Islam’s family home^

Funding Calculation

We are fundraising to help Islam and her family reach a place of safety, where they are not in constant danger. The funds are for permits to leave Gaza and cross to Egypt, where they will then hope to get a longer visa and employment in Turkey or Italy where they have family.

The company that controls exit out of Gaza has a high and varying cost to leave Gaza. Currently these stand at $7000.

We have calculated:

3*7000 US dollars for fees (which are subject to increase)

5000 US dollars for accommodation and visa expenses

This totals to £20,500 GBP

Our goal for now is £20,000.

Any donation will go far. Please share the link, especially with folk close to you. If you have suggestions on boosting the fundraiser please message; we're hoping to reach our goal ASAP as the situation worsens.

Accountability

If for any reason the GFM / plan cannot continue or prices for permits drop significantly, I will refund the donations. Otherwise, all the money will go to Islam and her family, as administration and travel costs are high and unpredictable.

If you want to ask me or Islam any questions please do contact me, I can pass on the questions.

I’m unwilling to post more identifying details about myself in this context, but please message me if you have any uncertainty and want to verify the fundraiser.

Thank you for your generosity.