Help us bring our family from Gaza to Canada

Hatem Al-Razani is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Hello everyone,

I am Hatem Al-Razani, a Palestinian-Canadian who has been residing in Halifax for over 15 years. I have initiated this GoFundMe page to seek assistance from our family and friends during this challenging period. Providing some background, I have been separated from my parents, brother, and sisters in Gaza for more than 24 years. Unfortunately, during the recent war, I lost one of my sisters, along with her husband and children on October 22, 2023. Concerned for the safety of those remaining, we are aiming to bring them out of Gaza as soon as the emergency visa application opens on January 9th, 2024. The individuals we hope to bring include my brother's family and my sister's family, along with their children.

As you may be aware, Canada will not offer financial support to approved applicants. Consequently, our family has extensively discussed this matter, gathered information on the estimated finances needed for the next several months to address this urgent requirement, and decided to commence this fundraiser.

Details on Expenses:

Step 1: Visa Application Fees (Approximate)

$240 x 12 = $2,880

Step 2: Transition from Gaza to Egypt, then Egypt to Halifax

This step may take days to weeks while awaiting visa approval.

- Flight Tickets (Egypt-Halifax): $2000/person → total: $24,000

- Housing/expenses in Egypt: $1500

Step 3: Arrival in Canada and Resettlement

Until they secure employment, the following expenses have been calculated for approximately 6 months:

- Housing in Canada (2x 3-bedroom apartments) with an average rent of $5000/month for 2 units - Total $30,000

- Other expenses (groceries, bills, transportation, medical care, furniture, winter clothing) $30,000

Total: $88,380

Meet Our Family in Gaza:

My Brother Aaeid & family

Aaeid is a civil engineer with a Ph.D. in environmental engineering acquired in France. Upon completing his studies, he returned to Gaza to reunite with his family and has been there since. His wife, Nermeen, is a laboratory technician and a loving mother to their 4 children, who interestingly form 2 pairs of twins. Despite losing their cat during the war, they plan to adopt one upon arriving in Canada.

My Sister Azza + her family

Azza has been a widow since 2004, raising her children on her own. She has four girls and a son. Together, they enjoyed activities like swimming at the beach and organizing picnics with friends. Like the rest of our family, Azza and her children lost their home, managing to keep some of their favorite blankets as they easily get cold. Unfortunately, the war has caused the children several mental health issues, including panic attacks, PTSD, and nightmares, which we hope to treat once they arrive.

The two families have been staying together since their homes were destroyed on October 17th and 19th, 2023. They collaborate to survive this challenging period; for example, Aaeid collects water from the sea every morning, risking his life to gather food and connect to the internet to reassure us of their safety. Azza, upon Aaeid's return, tries to make things from scratch, such as bread baked on firewood. My family is hardworking, motivated, and resilient during these difficult times, and with some support, I believe they will regain stability soon. We appreciate the support of our Canadian community, which always stands together to help in crises.