Hi, my name is Monica Armanino, I'm from California, USA. I have created this fundraiser for my friend Loay and his family who have been displaced to different parts of Gaza, in Palestine due to the ongoing war. He, his wife and baby, along with his mother and siblings, have been living in tents in extremely harsh conditions along with thousands of displaced people. Their names are:

Loay Muhammad Abu Raida

Alaa Muhammad Suleiman Qadeeh (wife)

Ahmed Loay Abu Raida (baby)

Shafika Muhammad Abu Raida (mother)

Zain Muhammad Abu Raida (brother) and his 3 children and wife.

Sanaa Muhammad Abu Raida (sister)

Fida Muhammad Abu Raida (sister)

Maysa Muhammad Abu Raida (sister)

Kholoud Muhammad Abu Raida (sister)

and nephews.

Loay wants to evacuate with his family as soon as the borders reopen, but brokers are charging exorbitant sums for passage. Once the goals are met and the border opens, I will then transfer to Loay through the most convenient method available to him, which is PayPal. In the meantime, they have needed money to survive the daily struggles and high costs of food and basic needs. Before the Rafah border was closed in spring of 2024, the cost to cross to Egypt was:

* Approx $5,000 - $7,500 per person (the price is unknown at the moment until the opening of the Rafah crossing)

* $2,500 per child under 16y/o

* Most of the money is being spent on basic needs in order to survive

In Gaza, food and necessities are very expensive and free aid is hard to come by, as not enough is being allowed through the borders. The United Nations has warned that hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are on the brink of starvation. 2.3 million Palestinians are suffering, most of them, like Loay and his family, are living in tents, but have recently been forced to move yet again to the center of the strip. They have been forcibly displaced numerous times, while also loosing their homes and livelihoods.

Loay is a university graduate, specializing in accounting. He lost his beloved father and brother in this war, and their home was destroyed. 70-80% of residential buildings in Gaza are destroyed, and over 1 and a half million people are squeezed into a small area, a horrific situation that has gotten worse since the ceasefire agreement was broken in March 2025.

Here is a personal message from Loay:

Hello, I am Loay from Gaza, I have a family. We left our house on the seventh of October and migrated to other places. I hope everyone will help me and stand by me in the light of this ordeal and crisis. Also, now I live in a nylon tent in Rafah. I hope you will stand with us in Gaza.

سلام ، أنا لؤي من غزة لدي عائلة لقد خرجنا من بيتنا في السابع من أكتوبر ونزحنا الي اماكن اخرى لم نأخد معنا شي من ممتلكاتنا وكمان تعرفون الحرب في شهرها السادس وقامت طائرات الاحتلال بقصف منزلي بشكل كامل وايضا لا يوجد لدى عائلتي مصدر دخل اتمنى من الجميع مساعدتى والوقف بحانبي في ضل هده المحنة والازمة. أيضا الآن اسكن في خيمة من النايلون في رفح اتمنى ان تقفوا معنا في غزة

Please consider donating today, as his campaign has been long overdue. Any amount is welcome. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!