Support Manal's family's safety now by contributing.

Hello. My name is Gabriel, and I am raising funds to help my friend Manal Khamees bring her grandchildren to safety. On a visit to Palestine last summer, Manal told me about her beautiful grandchildren, whom she had not seen for over seven years. They lived just an hour’s drive away in the Gaza Strip, but because of Israel’s policy of apartheid, she was unable to see them. Now their lives are under terrible threat.

Read Manal’s story, the words of a grieving mother and grandmother:

“Over seven years ago, I had to move from Gaza to the West Bank. I left behind my only son Mohammed (34), his wife Ola (35), and their beautiful children, Alma (12), Ahmed and Tulip (both 6), who are all I have left in this life.

“As soon as I held Alma, my first grandchild, she became the apple of my eye. After I moved to the West Bank, the twins Ahmed and Tulip were born. I was therefore never able to see them in real life, but we had regular video calls whenever internet connection was available for them in Gaza. My only dream was to embrace Mohammed, Ola and my grandchildren, but suddenly the future we had planned together collapsed.

“The ongoing conflict in Palestine has inflicted much pain and loss upon us. The family home was destroyed by an airstrike. Mohammed, Ola and the children fled and spent the night exposed to the cold. Eventually they reached Rafah in southern Gaza, alongside 1.5 million other Palestinians in desperate conditions.

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Ahmed, six years old, suffers from asthma attacks and breathing difficulties, needing medical care not available after most hospitals in Gaza went out of service. Mohammed has repeatedly tried to find his medication amidst the scarcity of medical supplies, often without success. We fear that Ahmed’s condition will worsen.

Alma suffers from panic attacks and psychological problems. She has no access to psychological support and the basic feminine needs she urgently requires. She excelled in her studies over the past few years, but has lost much of her progress due to the current circumstances.

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Tulip, Ahmed’s twin sister, cannot sleep due to the sound of warplanes and continuous bombing. She suffers from diarrhea and vomiting from contaminated water. Ola sits awake through the night, hoping that her children are still alive in the morning. Mohammed stands in line for hours daily to feed the hungry mouths.

The questions my grandchildren ask have changed from normal childhood questions about their toys, to questions which no child should ever have to ask: Will there be a ceasefire? Will we return to the remains of our home? Will we return to school? And the one most heartbreaking to me: Will we ever be able to hug our grandmother, Manal, someday?

“All I wish is to save the lives of Mohammed and his family. Their exit from Gaza costs a large sum that we cannot afford alone. Your contributions will ensure the safe passage and evacuation of the family from Gaza to Egypt, and basic life expenses for a family of five in Egypt.

“Bless you, and please keep my family in your prayers.”

Thank you for reading Manal’s story. Please consider donating, and sharing with all your friends and family. Every penny counts!