Help Asmaa's family evacuate Gaza

Dear Friends,

Asmaa Alkaisi is a proud UW Jackson school alum, a Fulbright scholar, a Gaza native, a mother of four, and a remarkable human being. I met Asmaa in January 2023 when she was a master's student at UW, where I was an undergrad at the time. We have become close friends in the intervening year, and so when she told me that her family in Gaza was in trouble, I promised her I'd do everything I could to help

As she wrote in the Nation last year, her father, mother, four siblings, three nephews and nieces are enduring intolerable conditions and are at constant risk of being killed in this war, which has been like no other they’ve experienced. Having been displaced multiple times, they are now crowded 10 to a room in Rafah, and sleep standing in shifts for two hours amid the constant sounds of airstrikes. Asmaa’s mother, Khitam, is a kidney patient, and she has not been able to access the dialysis she requires. Her health and the lives of her family are at grave risk if they do not get to safety in Egypt.

Unfortunately, getting through the Rafah crossing into Egypt is unbelievably expensive. For this family which has literally lost everything — their home, all their possessions — affording the up to $8,000 per person bribe (see this explainer of the process) to Egyptian border guards is an impossible task. That’s where we come in.

If you have sat watching the news thinking to yourself “What can I do?!”... Well, this is it. This is one concrete thing you can do that will save lives. Please contribute to this fund to help Asmaa’s family afford evacuation costs out of Gaza. No human being deserves to go through this, but because Asmaa has touched our lives, and is a part of our community at UW (she is the only recent UW grad from Gaza), we owe it to her to help her family get out of this crisis. Their lives hang in the balance, so, please, dig deep and donate so they can get to safety. Please share this fund to as many people and list servs as you can. Talk about it in faculty meetings: The family of one of our own is in trouble and needs our help. As the Israeli government has threatened an imminent full-scale military offensive in Rafah, it is impossible to overstate the urgency of getting Asmaa’s family the resources they need to get out.

It is difficult not to be moved to tears thinking about the impossible choice faced by Asmaa's 10 family members. Palestinians' deep connection to their land and their history of displacement means leaving Gaza behind, even temporarily, is a terrifying prospect. I'm hoping this fundraiser is just the start of our commitment to the Alkaisi family, who will, (hopefully sooner rather than later) need our help rebuilding their lives in Gaza. Until that time, please consider donating now to help them get to safety ASAP.

Thank you,

— Townson Cocke

Washington, DC. Feb 19, 2024

Here is Asmaa:

My name is Asmaa Alkaisi, I am a single mother from Gaza. I currently live in Belgium as my family is stuck under the horrific conditions in Gaza due to the ongoing Israeli war since October 7th, 2023.

I am fundraising to help my family in Gaza to leave through Rafah crossing the border to Egypt where I am trying to apply for a humanitarian visa for my family.

The Alkaisi family's destroyed apartment

The situation in Gaza for families is dire and filled with uncertainty. As I navigate every day through the news and watch the rising numbers of casualties, I cannot help but think about the safety and well-being of my family, especially my mother who is suffering from a critical health condition. My mother, Khitam, is a kidney patient and has atrophy in both kidneys and she must go through dialysis three times a week for four hours at a time. Amidst the chaos, my mother’s health is deteriorating every day. She is reliant on regular medical care to help stabilize her condition. However, access to medical care is severely limited with major hospitals shutting down and the remaining ones overwhelmed by the influx of injured civilians. The blockade imposed on the region makes obtaining essential supplies impossible and exacerbates an already intolerable humanitarian situation.

My family lived in my apartment in Gaza and had to evacuate after my whole building was destroyed along with the whole area. They had to walk for 35km under bombardment to reach the city of Rafah where they are now staying with relatives. My mother hasn’t been able to get dialysis and if she did, it would be for an hour every 2-3 weeks.

Asmaa's mother Khitam receiving dialysis. Khitam was recently in critical condition due to her kidney condition and the inaccessibility of proper treatment.

As her condition worsens, I am filled with helplessness as I am unable to provide her with the care and treatment she desperately needs. The uncertainty of their situation weighs heavily on me as I think that I might lose her due to lack of medical attention.

Khitam's medical documents

My family, my parents and siblings, and nephew and nieces fled my home on October 12th, they sought refuge in a church in Gaza. Three days later, then they had to walk to Rafah and become displaced since the church was also destroyed. In addition to my mother’s health struggle, my family faces enormous challenges. The economic devastation due to the conflict has left them struggling to make ends meet. Necessities such as food, water, and electricity are completely cut off, making it hard to survive.

My father Talat, my mother Khitam, four siblings, three nephews and nieces, and my aunt are all living now in one room. They sleep standing and sleep in shifts for 2 hours at a time. There’s no food and my sister cannot find milk or diapers for her baby girl. I haven’t been able to have a phone call with them for months due to the power and internet cuts. I need your help to evacuate my family from Gaza.

To pass through the Gaza- Egypt borders, one must be listed in the Crossing list (obtained through a paid permit). Currently, coordinators in Egypt demand $7,000-8,000 per person to add names to the list at the border. They insist on proof of funds before adding any names. We are hoping to raise $80,000. Your generous contributions will go towards helping the family evacuate and for my mother to get her treatment. $80,000 for all 9 members to be permitted to pass through the Rafah border. Any donation you make will be put towards paying these expenses, and, until they are able to evacuate, towards affording basic necessities.

My family and I have lost everything in Gaza. We’ve lost our homes and loved ones. Amid this crisis, your support will make all the difference. Your generosity could provide my family with a lifeline they desperately need, offering hope and relief in this dark time. Please consider donating to our cause as you can make a difference in the lives of those struggling in Gaza.

The Alkaisi family crowded into a single room in Rafah

Here are their names

Talat Alkaisi (Asmaa's father)

Khitam Alkaisi (Mother)

Amani Alkaisi (Sister)

Abdulrahman Alkaisi (Brother)

Alaa Alkaisi (Sister)

Reem Alkaisi (Aunt)

Madgy Bkheet (Brother-in-law)

Karem Bkheet (Nephew)

Carla Bkheet (Niece)

Naya Bkheet (Niece)

...

Technical notes: These funds will go to my (Townson's) American bank account, after which I will then transfer them to Asmaa's American bank account via Zelle. Asmaa will then pay "brokerage" fees to get her family across the Rafah crossing. (See this Guardian article for more information). Every cent will be accounted for in updates on this page as I disburse them.