Help get Abdallah out of Gaza

Hello, Marhaba,

My name is Abdallah Aljazzar. I am 24-year-old writer from Gaza. I graduated in English language and literature from al-Azhar University in 2021, and am involved with a special project called We are Not Numbers (WANN): an online platform that celebrates and sheds light on Palestinian stories by linking mentors around the world with a new generation of Palestinian writers from Gaza, the West Bank and the diaspora. You can read some of my pieces here.

My mission is to educate people about Gaza and help the world understand that we are real people, and that our lives count for something. Usually, I am busy writing essays and interviewing people for my next story but right now and since the war, my family and I are living out of tents or very crowded houses. I spend most of my day trying to find food, fuel or some place that is safe and warm. But no place is safe right now. We hear the bombs getting closer each day, and fear that the Israeli army will drive us out of our temporary shelter as ruthlessly as they drove us out of our home last October. We have lost 36 members of our family, and our neighbourhood is in ruins.

Even when the war ends it’s hard to imagine what life in Gaza might look like in the future. Many of us are now starting to plan to leave Gaza to make new lives in other countries. I am not sure where I will end up, but for now, I know I have to get out of Gaza, then I can get the rest of my family out after me, and we can all start new lives elsewhere.

Costs:

Egyptian border crossing (per person): US$5000

Travel to Cairo: US$200

Accommodation and living expenses in Cairo (2-6 months): US$450/month = US$2700 (6 months)

Visa application fee: US$100

Flights to another country: US$1000

GoFundMe transfer fees (2.9% +$0.30): US$450

Living expenses for 3 months in another country: US$3350

Medical & contingency fees: US$1200

Total: US$14,000