Help Ziad, His Wife & Their Two Children Survive

I am Waled, and this is the family of my very dear and kind friend, Ziad Ahmad Mohammed Almadhoun, from Gaza. He, along with his wife Lama and their two daughters, Maria (6) and Kinda (3), are hoping to find safety in Egypt. Their home and livelihood in the North of Gaza were destroyed in this war, like thousands of others. Ziad has already lost his father, sister, and other family members in the war on Gaza. They have endured a lot, including being displaced several times: once from their home inside Gaza to Al-Nasr Hospital in Gaza City, then to the city of Khan Yunis, then to Rafah and twice inside Rafah. Food has always been scarce and they are running out of warm clothes. As Ziad says, the hardest thing as a father is not being able to feed and protect your kids.

We are preparing to evacuate Ziad’s family and provide them with the hope and living conditions they deserve. They need a stable place away from the constant fear and destruction. Moreover, they are in need of basic necessities such as food and clothes. The education system in Gaza has collapsed, and the kids deserve an opportunity to continue their normal lives. The most urgent need is raising funds for their evacuation, but any additional funds raised will go towards rebuilding their lives - their home and their livelihood.

Ziad’s family is currently situated in Rafah, at Egypt’s border, where the majority of the displaced population is residing and seeking shelter. Rafah is not a safe place, and there is no other place where Ziad’s family could seek safety in Gaza, nor does he have family outside of Gaza. They will leave with only a few items of clothing on them, so any donation would help Ziad’s family start building their lives again.

Ziad is a civil engineer passionate about his job. He used to work as an architect at Al-Helo Trading and Contracting Company. He lost his job and his home, and now he lives in a tent because of the war. His only wish is to live in a place that will protect his children and his wife, away from wars. His daughter, Maria (6), has a dream to go back to studies, as this was her first year of school. She was also registered to join the Qattan Center to develop her talent for drawing. His wife Lama wishes to pursue her career as a lawyer. Kinda (3) loves playing with her dad and discovering the playgrounds.

In the picture you can also see Ziad’s dad, a grandfather to his kids, and his little sister (7 years old) who unfortunately were martyred in the most brutal way.

This is where they live right now. The winter months have been tough.