Help Salma and Jehad survive the war of Gaza

Hello dear friends, we are Jehad and Salma, a happy couple who have been married for about a year and a half. Jehad used to work as a software engineer, and Salma was pursuing her passion to become a talented graphic designer. We started our life in a small, beautiful apartment overlooking the sea, carefully choosing every piece of furniture together. Salma is very detail-oriented, keen on making every corner look its best. She filled the space with small plants and her own beautiful drawings, making everything perfect, as if life smiled at us the moment we shared a home.

Salma: On October 7th, we had to evacuate our nice beach home for safety reasons and went to my in-laws, thinking we'd return in a couple of days. I grabbed some essentials such as clothes and my cherished jewellry. Taking one final emotional glance at our home, my heart felt so heavy, but I kept telling myself we'd be back soon and I`ll go on with my life as usual. On October 12th, everything changed for us. I woke up to the shocking news that our home was bombed. It felt like a nightmare – all the special things, gifts, and memories were suddenly gone. Our hearts were heavy as we rushed to evacuate my in-laws on October 14th due to the looming threat of Israeli militias. Once again, we found ourselves fleeing, grabbing only some clothes and some essential food items. The overwhelming part was not just the fear, but the lack of time to sit with our sadness and grief. The sadness in my heart lingers, a constant reminder of the happy times we used to have. Being away from my soulmate after these sad events makes things even harder, adding an extra layer of pain to our already tough situation.

Jehad: We left the family home and moved to a public shelter. It was a building under construction, and the owner gave it to those who had nowhere else to go. We shared an unprepared room with three other families, dividing the night into three shifts so everyone could have equal sleeping periods due to the limited space. We shared one bathroom with over 60 people, and the food barely sufficed for one family. This wasn't the hardest part—the toughest was realizing there was no electricity, internet, or gas for cooking anymore. We started buying firewood and candles. Salma learned to bake and cook over the fire, while I had to ask around the neighbours for someone with solar power to charge our family's phones. This became our daily struggle; we could hardly find time or a place to escape the chaos of life.

Then came new warnings to evacuate the place. We fled to nowhere, literally not knowing where or how to escape, especially as my savings were running out, and I couldn't afford to rent a place with rents skyrocketing by over 600% due to the terrible overcrowding. We went to a rural area where we found an empty chicken farm. We asked the owner for permission, and then we cleaned and arranged it. We shared it with three other families, separated by pieces of fabric. Once again, we needed to buy winter clothes, mattresses, blankets, food, kitchen utensils, and firewood.

I told Salma that it was time for her to travel to the UK (her homeland) because I could no longer see her in such conditions, and who knows, maybe she would be the lifeline to ease this hardship?, I didn't travel with her because the Egyptian authorities didn't allow it due to their policy that only allows foreigners to leave the sector.

Salma travelled, and my heart travelled with her, but I'm not regretful because I'm sure she's in a better place even if she's far away from me.

Jehad and Salma: We hesitated a lot before launching this campaign, and we wouldn't have done it if this wasn't our last hope to escape this mad war. Any funds raised will not change the past; however, it may contribute to build a better future, We are raising funds to help Jehad and his family meet their living requirements amidst the war and to reunite him with Salma in the UK after the war ends (if it ends, or if we survive). We appreciate your contribution to this donation, no matter how much, and if you are unable to contribute, sharing the link is more than enough for us.

Salma and Jehad on their first anniversary

We wish you a happy and joyful life with your family and loved ones.