Faraj is receiving leukemia treatment in the West Bank while his family is facing a genocide in Gaza. His father Rafiq was martyred by occupation forces while trying to assist others who'd been injured. His brother Wadiyah was martyred while he was going out to get food for the family. His grandmother died from the unfathomable stress of displacement and colonial violence. The whole family (50+ members) lives under the thin "shelter" of tarps with no protection from the elements or violence. Faraj' wife's phone recently exploded during an occupation attack in the middle of a phone call with Faraj, leaving him in fear if he'll get to speak to her again. She gave birth to their son, the child Faraj prayed nearly a decade for, during an air-strike. He still waits to meet his son Rafiq (named after the hero martyr Rafiq) in person. Everyday is a struggle to get basic needs met. Clean water and food are insanely expensive. Medicine is expensive and hard to come by. There's no electricity or gas. Our continued, ongoing support is crucial to help them survive! Thank you for all of your support!

I'll be regularly sending funds to Faraj via PayPal. I met him over a year ago shortly after his wife gave birth to Rafiq and a mutual aid group had organized finding post-natal care for her as her health was in severe danger. Faraj and his family are so kind, caring, loving and selfless. But they deserve our support regardless of that...read on to hear from Faraj...

in solidarity,

a

Our Story

My name is Faraj Abu Odeh, a Palestinian who has been battling cancer since 2013.

But today, I’m not writing about my illness…

I’m writing because we are living through a catastrophe beyond words, and my family simply cannot endure any more.

We used to live in Beit Hanoun, dreaming of a warm home and safety for our children.

Then the war came suddenly, destroying our house and forcing us to flee to Khan Younis.

During a brief ceasefire, we returned to our destroyed home, trying to gather pieces of life from the rubble.

But the war came back…

So we fled again, this time to Gaza, carrying our children and the sick with us, with nothing but a torn tent and our tears.

In the middle of all this, I lost my father—killed in the war.

Then I lost my brother too.

They died trying to protect us, and now we continue alone, carrying grief, hunger, and fear.

Today, more than 50 members of my family are displaced, including:

Four newborn babies

My wife, who gave birth to our first child under the sound of bombing

❤️‍ My mother, suffering from heart disease and constant pain

My young nieces and nephews—cold, hungry, and terrified

We live with no real shelter, no clean water, no food, no medicine…

Just a torn tent, freezing cold, and a silent world around us.

I am Faraj Abu Odeh,

A father who hasn’t yet held his newborn baby,

A man worn down by cancer and war,

But what hurts me most today…

Is hearing the cries of hungry children—and having nothing to give them.

We go to the markets

But the prices are like fire burning us:

Bread has become a dream

Baby formula is sold like rare medicine

Even water… we ration it by drops

Every day we face the same heartbreaking question:

“What will we feed the children today?”

And every day we face the same silence… and helplessness.

My mother is sick…

I am sick…

But the children’s hunger is greater than all our pain.

We urgently need:

Food and basic supplies

Bread, milk, baby formula, diapers

Water is nearly unavailable—we are thirsty every day

Medical care

My child suffers from malnutrition

My mother is in constant pain with no medication

We have no access to hospitals

⛺ Shelter and dignity

Our tents are torn, with no warmth or privacy

We need mattresses, blankets, and safe space for the children

✈️ Resettlement (if possible across borders)

Each family member needs just $5,000 to dream of safety

We want a life without bombing, without fear—a life we deserve

Your donation could save lives:

$10 = Clean water and milk for a child for one day

$25 = Medicine for my child or mother

$50 = One full day of food for the entire family

⛺ $100 = Tent repair and blankets

$5,000 = A full survival opportunity for one family member

My Final Word

We are not numbers… we are human beings.

I am a new father who hasn’t yet held his baby.

I am a son who never got to say goodbye to his father.

I am a brother who lost his sibling in war.

I am just… someone who wants to live.

Please, don’t scroll past.

Help us survive.

Be the reason we make it.

Be the beginning of our healing.

With your faith… we continue.

Faraj Abu Odeh

Gaza, Palestine

Follow & share: @farajbuodeh