March 21st, 2025

Hello, my name is Emily. I live in New Hampshire, but my heart is in Gaza. I am creating this fund for my friend and fellow mother, Eman Seyam. Watching what she and her precious 5 babies have endured over the last seventeen months has been heart shattering.

When I launched this fundraiser, Eman and her children were trying to raise the funds needed to evacuate to Egypt and escape genocide. However, shortly thereafter, the Israeli occupation shut the Rafah crossing and evacuation became impossible. It remains firmly shut and with no source of income it was necessary to send Eman the funds already raised for mere survival.

Her family has suffered more than I can express. Displaced 5 times, they were forced to leave their beloved home in North Gaza to various shelters in Rafah, where they narrowly escaped its complete destruction. They survived summer in a boiling hot tent in the overcrowded Mawasi camp, with no clean water, sanitation or waste management. The family quickly became seriously ill with Hepatitis A and other infectious diseases that spread uncontrollably in the camps, along with Mohammed’s ever present excruciating tooth pain. Both he and Mera had to endure major dental surgery with no anesthesia or pain relief of any kind, after months of suffering without access to any kind of treatment. Majd suffered a terrible shoulder injury as a result of carrying water huge distances day after day, necessary to keep his family alive.

Eman was able to move them into a tiny apartment in Deir al-Balah with no electricity or water, just the small gas stove they needed to make rotting tinned food and worm-infested flour slightly safer to eat, when gas could be found. Evacuation orders soon forced the family to move again. Between these huge expenses, skyrocketing food prices, water and medical treatment on the rare occasions it was accessible, the funds quickly ran out.

For 16 months relentless airstrikes and tank shelling continued; armored drones a constant presence at their windows, Eman described “witnessing the horrors of the apocalypse” in the aftermath of the brutal massacres that surrounded them. Feeling hopeless with her children clinging to her for comfort from earth-shattering explosions all around, trying to conceal her own terror.

As soon as the first phase of the “ceasefire” commenced, the family decided to return to the site of their home in the North, where they still live amidst the rubble of the partially collapsed building. It offers no protection from the freezing cold nights, strong winds and heavy rain that persist well into Spring. The entire structure is at risk of collapse, but they have nowhere else to go, no money to even dream of it. And it is their home, which they hope to someday rebuild.

They are forced to walk huge distances just to get water that is barely drinkable. Since the Israeli occupation once again imposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid, they have had to walk 12 km daily to join huge queues for bread which is incredibly expensive. Too often they are disappointed.

The kids have lost everything, and as a mother myself I can deeply understand Eman's dedication to providing as much safety, stability, education and nutrition as she can to help them cope and heal. With Israel’s resumption of the intense bombardment, Eman is simply trying to survive and do her best for her family in the worst of circumstances. They are mourning dear friends and family, severely malnourished and deeply traumatized going into this new terrifying phase.

Your generosity will let them know the world has not abandoned them entirely and give them a chance for survival. Shukran.

Please read her messages below, follow and share this fundraiser for updates, and donate generously to help this family survive Gaza Genocide.

- January 2024 -

Hey there I’m Eman from Gaza! I used to work as a nutritionist in North Gaza and am a mom of 5 wonderful children of various ages. My husband and I had to make harsh decisions after the lOF ordered us to evacuate to the south. We left all our belongings in the hope of returning soon and fled from shelter to shelter until we ended up in Rafah where we’re staying now. We’ve recently received the news that all our belongings are gone. My house, my job, my parents’ house, it’s all bombarded!

My kids have also started to realize that they lost everything, their school, many of their friends and anything they cherished! My husband and I try our hardest to keep our 5 children safe and cared for, but the situation is dire in Rafah. The day we can get a hold of a whole meal for the 7 of us it feels like we’re dreaming! The cold and rain, contaminated water, tents and lack of healthcare bring you very fast back to reality! All this would have been difficult to face but what kiIIs me most is the fear of my children. They are traumatized by all they saw in these months!

Till the moment I started writing this I refused to even think about leaving my beautiful Gaza. My country and my life! I refused to even consider it, all I wish for is to rebuild my house and raise my children and tell them our tale, but I realise now that in order to be able to do so we first need to survive. No matter how much it hurts me, I’m forced to ask you for help to get my family out of Gaza! I can’t bear to lose more family members especially if those family members are my children! I would be extremely grateful if you could help us by donating any amount you can miss! Even the tiny bits help to achieve our goal!

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my story and for any way you can help us - Eman

- January 2025 -

Unfortunately, I am very tired. Thinking about the future exhausts me.

Soon we will return to the north, but unfortunately we will return to a very difficult point. We have become homeless and without a source of livelihood.

There are no plans at the moment. My mind is confused. I am trying hard not to lose focus. I am going around in circles.

I do not know if I will be able to bear the amount of destruction on the way back. I am trying to hold myself together and be stronger, but I cannot promise you that. The moment of collapse has become very close.

The kids are fine but I don't know how the shock will affect them when they return...

- February 2025 -

Unfortunately, our situation is extremely dire. The area is largely destroyed and lacks the most basic necessities of life. Children travel long distances to obtain a small amount of water. We live in catastrophic health conditions, and unfortunately, there is no one to provide for us. I have made numerous appeals for help in providing water to the residents of the neighborhood, but unfortunately, there has been no response.

- March 2025 -

The war on Gaza has returned with force. The situation is very, very terrifying. Dozens of rockets and fire belts. The situation is very terrifying. Unfortunately, most of the associations have stopped providing food due to the unavailability of basic materials, the inability to move, and the difficulty of reaching population centers.

I can't imagine eating animal feed. But I only have half a kilo of flour. I search for bakeries with available bread to spare that half for worst times.