Help support a family in Gaza!

Hi everyone, my name is James and I'm based in London, UK. I’m urgently asking for your help to raise funds to help our friend Jamal's family, who're stuck in Gaza.

Eating knafeh with Jamal, April 2024.

My girlfriend and I met Jamal on a trip to Istanbul back in April 2024. Jamal is from Gaza but has been studying in Turkey for the past five years.

I don’t think I need to explain just how dire the humanitarian situation is in Gaza but it’s clear that Gazas healthcare system is close to non-existent now, after being intentionally targeted and destroyed by the occupation. This is literally a life or death situation and anything you can contribute will be hugely appreciated. Please donate anything you can.

Jamals parents are currently displaced and are located in Al Mawasi ‘humanitarian zone’ in the Khan Younis area. Despite Al Mawasi being an Israeli designated ‘safe zone’, the area still continues to be bombed by Israel. It is far from safe.

Here is Jamals message:

URGENT AID NEEDED TO HELP MY SICK PARENTS FROM GAZA.

Jamals parents, Nofouz K.Y. Abughali & Riyad R.H. Abughali

Dear friends and community members,

My name is Jamal Riyad Abughali, I’m 30 years old and a Palestinian student from Gaza City. I relied on the efforts of my friends and colleagues to leave Gaza, and have for the past 5 years been living in Istanbul and studying a masters degree in business administration at Fenerbahçe University. Today I ask for your help to contribute to urgent relief and the evacuation of my displaced family who are trapped in Gaza.

Jamal pictured here (top row, fourth from left), surrounded by four of his brothers, his father, nephews and nieces. Gaza City, 2017.

We are a family of 8 adults (me, my parents and my 5 brothers). I left my country, the Gaza Strip, and I am the youngest of my brothers - all of them are married. I was living with my mother and father before I left. The family home and my brother’s home have now been completely destroyed.

Jamals mother Nafouz and Jamal in their family home before the building was bombed.

The buildings where Jamals parents and brothers homes used to be located (highlighted yellow). Al Muhafaza building, Tal el Hawwa area, Gaza City. Close to Al Quds hospital.

After over a year of devastating war on my city. After my family's money has run out. After I thought I was able to help my family but I was disappointed. But with the help of friends I am now launching a crowdfunding campaign to help my family to survive.

I am in dire need of your generous help. We appreciate anything at all that you can spare.

You will be contributing to help evacuating my family to safety, as they face unspeakable dangers in Gaza.

My life is centred in Turkey and I’m trying to build a future here, to complete my postgraduate studies and have a normal life. I’m unsure if I will ever be able to return to my home country, but what I am sure of is that I need to get my sick mother and father out. They are currently displaced and located in Mawasi neighbourhood, close to Khan Younis. My father is 79 years old and previously had open heart surgery. My mother is 70 years old and suffers from high blood pressure, diabetes and also a heart condition called aortic valve regurgitation. They desperately and urgently need medication and access to healthcare. This has been completely destroyed in Gaza by Israels brutal assault on healthcare and civilian infrastructure.

I need my family to get out of Gaza in any way they can. Potentially, the only way to get them out is through the Rafah crossing, which is located on the border with Egypt. It currently costs $5,500 per person. Your generous donations would help them to get out and to safety.

I cannot sit back and watch my family perish one by one. They are everything to me.

Please, I implore you not to ignore our urgent pleas. Your support can change our lives immeasurably. Let us come together, show the power of compassion and solidarity in times of crisis. Together, we can rebuild, restore, and shape a future filled with hope and freedom.

I worked in the humanitarian relief field and provided assistance to people affected by the earthquakes in the city of Hatay in southern Turkey. I worked in difficult conditions and I fully understand what it means to live in a tent in light of the interruption of basic services.

Jamal taking part in earthquake relief work in Hatay, South Turkey.

How your donation will help us start over

We are looking for your support to rebuild our lives. The family are planning to evacuate to Egypt. Leaving Gaza requires a lot of money, including the transit fees to Egypt ($5,500 per person and constantly changing) as well as paperwork, passport renewal, airfare, accommodation and transportation. Once the family arrive in Egypt, they'll need to pay for basic expenses such as rent, furniture, clothes and groceries. Your support will help us pay for these expenses, evacuate Gaza and resume our lives.

At the same time, we know that no one can predict the situation in Gaza. If we are unable to evacuate, whether due to money, the risk of travel or a change in access, the funds will be used to meet the family's emergency needs in Gaza, and we will do our best to restore and rebuild a family life in these difficult circumstances.

Thankyou,

Jamal

Instagram:@abughali_94