Help Mohammed and His Family Find Safety

My name is Katherine Howton and I am fundraising for Mohammed Al Asttal and his family. I became Mohammed's host family when he came to the U.S. in 2014 and continued as his "family in the states" when he returned to attend the University of Oregon in 2016-2020.

Please take a moment to read his story.

My name is Mohammed Al Asttal. I am reaching out from Gaza where my family and I are caught in the chaos of war. I haven’t written a GoFundMe before as we were hoping to stay in Gaza and rebuild our lives. As every day passes with more destruction and deprivation, rebuilding and resuming our former lives is looking less likely. I am writing now on the cusp of another winter. I fear what another cold and rainy winter will bring for my elderly parents who have already withstood so much. With rumors of the Rafah border crossing opening, I must take this opportunity to leave with my parents for safety outside of Gaza.

My parents have always instilled in me and my four sisters a belief in the transformative power of education. My father is a retired political science professor at Al Azhar University. My mother is a retired UNRWA elementary school teacher.

In 2014, I was one of only 13 students to come to the U.S. for an exchange year at an American high school. In 2016, I returned to the U.S. and attended the University of Oregon. I obtained a degree in international studies. In 2021, I began graduate school in Ireland but had to return to Gaza for a medical emergency.

Last year I was still deciding if I should finish my education in Gaza where I could be near my aging parents or leave again to finish my education. Our lives were ordinary. Life in Gaza has become anything but ordinary. The recent escalation beginning on October 7, 2023, has shattered all our lives.

In December, we were given the order to evacuate our home in Khan Younis. We packed only the essentials. I remember the chaos of that day vividly: racing against time to gather our belongings, the loud explosions in the background, and the disbelief when we saw the devastation outside. We mistakenly believed we would be able to return but we have since found that everything we didn’t take in those chaotic hours is gone.

I have included a photo of our home and the date tree behind it before and after it's destruction. The arrows point to the unique architecture.

We have survived the best we can in Al Mawasi. We have a small family farm there and my father has opened the property to anyone who wants to set up a tent. My sisters with their families and in-laws have moved to the property as their houses have also been destroyed. We are surviving but every day is a struggle to find the necessities. We are surviving but every day we are under threat. We have suffered with Hepatitis A and other ailments, and I fear what sickness winter will bring.

This trauma has taken a toll on my mental health. I suffer from anxiety, panic attacks and PTSD. At times my panic attacks have been debilitating. These conditions have been exacerbated by the violence around us.

In the past, I could manage my mental health with medication. However, I can no longer find the support I need. My family has become my anchor of support and although I have found strength in our unity, I find myself sinking into a deep depression, struggling to function

My parents are doing the best they can, but I can see the worry, exhaustion and weariness on their gaunt faces. My mother has neuropathy which has made walking at times difficult for her. With a collapsing medical system in Gaza, we are always one step away from catastrophe.

Considering all of this, we have made the difficult decision to leave. The only path forward is to seek safety beyond Gaza. Your support will help us escape this ongoing nightmare, provide necessities for my three sisters and their families who have decided to remain, and allow me to access the medical treatment I desperately need. I will miss the gorgeous sunsets I have photographed while sitting on the beaches in Gaza. If you know me, you have probably been given one of these photos or have seen them on my social media. Like the thousands who have left before me, I will miss so many things of the life we had here. But the time to leave is now. With your help we can.

I share my story not just to ask for help, but to remind you that behind every statistic are real people—families like mine, vulnerable, resilient, and hoping for a safe future.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Your support means everything to us.

With all my heart,

Mohammed Al Asttal and Family