Hello, my name is Rachael Hope, and I live in the US. I was introduced to Doaa Hamdy through a dear friend. She is gracious and kind, and fiercely committed to her husband Abdalmajeed, and their children, Jafar (9), Rita (7), and Ahmed (5).

Doaa and her family live in a tent in Gaza, for which the rent is similar to many mortgages. Prior to October 7, 2023, she was studying Engineering and Mathematics. She has spent the last 2 years of her life doing everything in her power to keep her family alive. Doaa and Jafar both have injured legs, which makes walking difficult, let alone trekking many miles for life-sustaining supplies.

Before the invasion, 1 kg (55 pounds) of flour cost around $10. As of the end of July 2025, the same flour (if you could find it), would cost $305. Medicine is expensive and hard to get, hospitals are overrun and destroyed. There is no way to make money, there are no jobs, there are no resources. Doaa has lost over 50 lbs so far. They need clothes to wear because one of their bags was lost during their displacement.

Despite the current cease-fire, Doaa and her family don't have a home. You can see in these photographs what is left of their home from before. A building without walls. There is no infrastructure, no security, no comfort.

Even in the midst of everything, of the indescribable exhaustion she’s experiencing, Doaa has not just asked for help. She has told me about her children, and sent me photos of life now and life before. Ahmed asking her to tell us that he is hungry. Rita on her father’s lap with a bow in her hair. The siblings at a kindergarten graduation ceremony, Jafar and Rita with proud smiles and Ahmed dressed in an impressive clown costume. The stove where Doaa cooks, framed by rubble. Rita in a school uniform with her backpack and two thumbs up. They are unbelievably beautiful, she says that they’re just kids, and did nothing to deserve this.

Doaa's greatest desire is to travel away from Gaza with her children, to a place where she and her husband can work and give their kids the peaceful, quiet life she longs to provide them. Please consider donating whatever you may be able to give, whether it's $2 or $200. The funds will be transferred directly to Doaa via PayPal, and will be used for Doaa and her children to find safe passage and start anew. Anything extra will go toward necessary expenses like rent, groceries, clothing, and medicine.

If you can't donate, please share. Your kindness, humanity, and love is so appreciated.