I’m Jonathan and I’m helping my friend Samer and his family in Gaza to pay for the cost of food and rebuilding their home. They are a large family and anything you can donate will help. Thank you. This is his story below:
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you. I am Samer. I will tell you what happened to me and my family during this war.
The war began on the 7th of October. It was a difficult and sudden day. We woke up at 6:00 in the morning to the sound of missiles launching from everywhere. We did not know what was happening. We went to the news channels to see what was happening. It happened that noone knew what was going on, so I spoke with a friend of mine who is like my brother. He said he would go and cover the events. After speaking to him, my brother and I went to buy some goods for the house that would last us for 2 weeks.
When we were returning home, I received a call and was told that my friend had been martyred. I did not understand or believe it. I was like a shock to me until I saw it with my own eyes. I was very sad and cried alot over the loss of my friend. He was a kind and compassionate person, may God have mercy on him. Since then, the Israeli bombing intensified in frequency, and it was barbaric and indiscriminate bombing.
Three days later, on the 10th of October, my cousin was martyred with a group of friends by indiscriminate bombing. He was very close to us. I felt like I was losing all the poeple close to me in the blink of an eye. I can't comprehend it. I felt like I was in a dream, like a nightmare.
Random bombing has continued and many were killed. In addition, they threatened us with a ground invasion, and told us we needed to move south to Rafah because it was designated a safe zone. We didn't go at first, but when the ground invasion began, we were forced to leave. We had no choice.
On our way to Rafah, we saw very horrible images that the human mind can't imagine; martyrs, and corpses of women and children in the streets. Heartbreaking scenes. I cried alot my brothers. I just couldn't understand it. I never believed this day could ever could happen.
When we arrived in Rafah, we continued to find random bombing. We found the prices of daily items very high, often 3 or 4 times their regular prices. And we arrived with little money. We sat in Rafah for a few days and saw the conditions there very bad. We have lost everything my brothers, our house, our money, literally everything.
A while ago, a military offensive was announced and we were forced to move again to Al-Mawasi near Rafah. We are suffereing alot my brothers. I have had food poisoning mmore thqn once. We are all suffering. You are our hope after God. Please help us.
- Samer