Help Hanin save her family in Gaza

My name is Henry Warren. I have been asked by my friend, Hanin Al Hassanat; who lives in Deir Al Balah in Gaza, to open and host this Gofundme appeal for her as she is not able to do so personally. These are her words.

My dear Friends throughout the World,

My name is Hanin Al Hassanat and I am one of the still living members of the beleaguered area of Gaza. First, I, and all of us, want to give thanks to the millions who have supported us and continue to do so through this existential nightmare. We have been thrown into a predicament that no one should ever have to experience or live through. I have lost many members of my extended family over the course of the past 6 months and one close cousin in my immediate family. We have been forced to consider fleeing our homeland to Egypt in order to save our lives, to give up again our homes – now pulverized – and our land.

It’s not easy for me to come to this decision, I have hesitated thousands of times. But the urgency and need to save my family is too great for me to hold on. The situation in Gaza worsens every day, as if there could be anything worse than the living hell we are in. Each and every moment we are forced to wonder whether we will live or die. The bone numbing fear that it will be our turn to be displaced and killed is constant.

Six days ago a rocket struck the apartment block next to ours. My best friend and her family were all killed. Our apartment was badly damaged, but fortunately my family and I had vacated our apartment just before the attack. When we returned I found a piece of shrapnel wedged into the seat where I was sitting. If I had not left the building, I would have been killed. I am frightened. I am scared. I am desperate. I fear that I will lose the rest of my family to a merciless and bloodthirsty enemy, an enemy who murders with impunity and malice. We seek support amidst the total breakdown of security and safety. I am compelled to reach out for the urgent need of your generous support to help me evacuate my family.

Before the war I was employed as a translator and management consultant for a Saudi based company. I am no longer able to continue in this position because I need to be able to excess the internet freely. However, once in Egypt I can take this up again and will be able to support my family with the salary I earn. My younger brother has just completed his Bachelor's studies in international humanitarian law and was intending to continue his studies in Algeria. This has been put on hold for the moment, but he is still hoping to do so. My eldest brother worked as a day labourer. Once the war is over, he wants to return to Gaza and help in its re-construction. The commonality is that we are dedicated and committed. We are diligent in our efforts and strive for a better life. We loved life. But now, here we are, looking into an unknown and murky future. The war has wiped out our dreams and ambitions; we have lost and are still losing our friends and loved ones. Maybe we will lose our lives too!

While the pictures are streamed across the world, we are living in this precarious situation that exceeds the surreal and macabre. This malicious and intentional genocide - for believe me, it is not a war - has ripped any sense of normality from our lives. Now into the sixth month, we have been existing with little to no electricity, insufficient medicine, enveloped only in gnawing anxiety and terror. With the last moments of sanity, I want to live a normal life, to feel safe and sleep well. I don't want to worry.

With your help, you will give my family and me a chance to feel the safety that you are reading this from. It will restore our faith in people and make us feel that we have not been abandoned and that we are not alone in this world

We are seven adults and three children. My father, Hassan Alhasanat aged 58, my mother Mona Salem Alhasanat aged 59, my two brothers Mohamed Alhasanat aged 33 and Ahmed Alhasanat aged 22, my two sisters Aya Abu Al Mualiq aged 30 and Mawada Abu Shawish aged 28, their three children, who are minors, and myself Hanin Alhasanat. I am 30 years old.

To exit Gaza we will have to use the services of the Egyptian Travel Agency, Hala. At the moment Hala, is charging $5,000 per adult and $2,500 for minors making §42,500 for all of us. On top of that there are the costs of transportation to Cairo, border crossing fees, passports - that can be obtained from the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo as we can use our Palestinian Identity Cards to get there, plus living expenses. I calculate those to be $7,500 making a total of $50,000 that’s - 45,000 euros. I have converted to euros because the donations collected will first be deposited into a bank account in Portugal belonging to my online English teacher and the host of this “Gofundme” appeal, Henry Warren. From there they will transferred to our friend, Doaa Yousef Hamden in Cairo. She will liaise with my Uncle, Mohammed Yousef Alhasanat, who will make contact with Hala to make the arrangements for our journey. She will also transfer the additional funds, we need to prepare for our departure here in Deir Al Balah, to my bank account in Gaza.

Once in Cairo we will be able to stay with my uncle. I hope to able to return to work as a translator and management consultant and we will live on my salary.

To be put in such a position that we have to do more than just beg for our lives, seems so unreal, but it is the reality here. It is part of the de-humanizing that has been going on for so long.

Please help me save my family from the incessant terror, I implore you.

Finally, I would like to thank for taking the time to read our story: Your support means so much. Even just one dollar can make a big difference and help us on our way.

Thank you for your compassion and support.

Hanin