<div>Hi everyone; my name is Mallie. I am updating this campaign because we began raising money for the Skaik families last year, so they could purchase the visas in order to escape Gaza.  Well, your efforts toward this campaign were successful -- they were able to, not only purchase the visas for their wives and children, but Naveen (Samer's wife) and their two boys were able to use those visas to escape safely to Egypt.  
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<div>However, as we all know, they closed the Rafah border over 100 days ago, and Tamer's wife and 4 children (Massa, Ahmed, Lana, and Tala) are still stuck at the Rafah Crossing.  
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<div>So that meant we had to shift out fundraising efforts from evacuation support, to helping them survive the seige.  Our efforts now are supporting Tamer, Samer, Tahani, and the 4 children so they don't fall to disease, malnutrition, and starvation.
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<div>It is IMPERATIVE they have enough money to purchase the nutriton that they need. Tamer is struggling with Hepatitis A and Massa, at just 2 years old, is suffering from severe malnutrition.
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<div>HOW I FOUND THE SKAIKS:
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<div>Shortly after the genocide began, I discovered a tiny news story about two brothers, Tamer and Samer Skaik who run an animal shelter for cats in Northern Gaza. Choosing to stay at their family home amidst the invasion to ensure their cats would be cared for, the brothers declared, "Either we survive together, or our fate will be death."
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<div>I was so moved by this family's love and commitment to their animals, I reached out to them online. And now, after what seems like forever and countless DM conversations, I consider them family.
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<div>But now, the situation is the worst it's gotten. Although these heroes still refuse to leave their animals to die alone by starvation or bombing, they realize their only chance at surviving this genocide is to have enough money to buy food for survival.
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<div><strong>Please read on for my friends' story.</strong>
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<div>Hello Everyone,
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<div>We are Tamer and Samer Skaik. We are animal activists who run the Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza, a cat shelter where we help homeless cats by sheltering, providing medical intervention and care, and finding forever homes for them.
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</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/77962163_1706728738517805_r." width="100%" />
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<div>Because of the dangerous situation in Gaza, our families have come close to losing everything so many times. When my child was injured a few days ago, we collectively made the decision to do everything we can to get our families out and to safety. My brother and I will stay in Gaza to care for the cats. We cannot abandon them. But the situation has gotten very, very bad, and we do not want to risk death to our families.
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<div>We need to get our wives and 6 children total to Egypt. But the only way out through the Rafa Crossing portal. Every person to make the crossing requires a Hala Visa which costs $2500 for every child and $5000 for every adult. We have posted a call to action with our Paypal, and we have received $3520 in donations, but we need a much larger reach to evacuate everyone and save our wives and children from death.
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<div><strong>Please</strong>. Our main mission in life used to be to help these poor, beautiful animals. But now, we just need to move our families to safety. Please. EVERY MINUTE COUNTS. We are running out of time.
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<div><strong>Here's what the funds have already been used for.</strong>
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<div>The Visas:
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<div>$2,500 for Zien's Visa (age 6)
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<div>$2,500 for Zeyad's Visa (age 8)
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<div>$2,500 for Tala's Visa (age 11)
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<div>$2,500 for Lana's Visa (age 8)
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<div>$2,500 for Ajmed's Visa (age 4)
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<div>$2,500 for Masa's Visa (age 2)
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<div>$5,000 for Tamer's Wife's Visa
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<div>$5,000 for Samer's Wife's Visa
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<div>The evacuation of Naveen, Zien, and Zeyad to Egypt.
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<div><strong>Here is what the new donations will be used for:</strong>
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<div>-BUYING FOOD, VEGETABLES, CLEAN WATER for their survival. 
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<div>-Making sure the children are NOT malnourished, and that they get more than one meal a day.
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<div>-Allowing Tamer to sevure nutrition for himself so he can overcome Hepatitis A.
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<div>-Vegetables are anywhere between $50 and $100 a piece over in Gaza since there is such a shortage. 
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<div><strong>EVERY MINUTE COUNTS.</strong>
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<div>The Skaik Family and the Animal Friends Shelter, Gaza.
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<div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/animal_friends_shelter_ts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Our Instagram</a>
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<div><a href="https://twitter.com/AnimalFriendsAF" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Our Twitter</a>
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<div><strong>THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS</strong>
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Anonymous

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Courtney Gussow

Lisa Barcy

Thomas Otting

Allan Johnstone

Julie Luepke

Alexander Riley

Meredith Scavone

Shelbie Koenitzer

Nanette Milner

Erin Bisson

Blake Shamla

Save the Animal Friends Shelter Families from Starvation

Save the Animal Friends Shelter Families from Starvation

Still $27,873 to go. Help us build momentum.