Help Rebuild Sameer’s Home in Rafah

Sameer had been a PhD student in Vienna for some years but moved back to Gaza in 2017 to be with his family, his wife and his son, where they built themselves a home and Sameer worked at the European Gaza hospital as a Lab Head.

Since October 23, 2023, Sameer and his family have endured the unimaginable in Gaza. Forced from their home in Rafah by escalating violence, they spent months sleeping in sweltering tents beside the sea, with virtually no access to food, water, medicine, or basic hygiene supplies. Over 1.5 million people in Mawasi Khan Younis face the same dire conditions.

When Israel announced a temporary ceasefire in March 2024, Sameer and his son Ibrahim rushed back to their house hoping it would still exist—and, miraculously, found it still standing. For a brief moment, it seemed they might rebuild some semblance of normal life.

But shortly after Israeli forces broke the ceasefire and launched a ground assault on Rafah. Once more, the family fled—this time with nothing but the clothes on their backs. . This time Sameer’s house was completely destroyed (see satellite pictures of the neighborhood). The family is heartbroken and desperate of seeing their home razed to the ground, and cant see themselves out of this situation.

Why We’re Raising Funds

This GoFundMe will provide Sameer and his family with the resources they need to:

• Rebuild their home in Rafah as soon as they are permitted to return

• Repair essential infrastructure: walls, roof, doors, windows

• Replace furniture and appliances lost in the destruction

• Cover initial living expenses (rent, food, water, medicine) until reconstruction is complete

• Give them a sense of hope and support

Sameer and his family urgently need our help to rebuild their own home and restore a place of safety and dignity.

How You Can Help

• Donate whatever you can—every gift, large or small, makes a real difference.

• Share this campaign with your network on social media, email, and messaging apps.

Thank you for your compassion and solidarity. Let’s come together to help Sameer and his family rebuild their home, renew their hope, and reclaim their future.

Fundraising Goal: $50,000

Organized by: Matteo T, former PhD colleague of Sameer at the University of Vienna, Austria

Beneficiary: Sameer Abu Eid and family, based in Rafah, Gaza; personal friend and academic collaborator

Use of Funds & Disbursement: All donations will be transferred directly to Sameer’s immediate family through a secure bank transfer. Funds will cover reconstruction materials, labor, household furnishings, and interim living expenses.