Dear friends,

Dear friends,

My name is Sama Yahia* and I am in urgent need of your help to get seven family members out of Gaza before they are killed.

I am Palestinian and from Gaza, where my family home used to be, a place that I have loved so dearly since I can remember. I am a humanitarian worker now based overseas and for our entire adult lives, my husband and I have worked as aid workers and dedicated our lives to supporting those who face the very same things my family and my people are facing now.

I never imagined starting a donation drive for my own family, but then again I never imagined being where my family, my community and I are today. My families lives are in imminent danger and my very last hope is to turn to my community to help us.

MY FAMILY’S SITUATION

My elderly father and mother*, (aged 74 and 70), my eldest brother, his wife and three children (aged 47,45,18, 19 and 13) have lost our beautiful family home (that is our house in the picture) and leave everything behind. My beloved family has been displaced three times under fire. They are cold and scared but hopeful that something can be done to save their lives. The anger when looking at the senseless destruction of our home is unbearable. To say that we have not been able to take a breath without fear and sadness filling our lungs is an understatement.

Among all this unbearable horror our biggest fear is for our loved ones who remain in Gaza. Every time I manage to call my parents, siblings and their children, it feels like the last call, because you never know when the next bomb will fall. What I am pleading for is to help evacuate them from Gaza by supporting with the cost of doing that. I can’t stop the thought that my only son, Seif, might not be able to see his family anymore if something happened to them.

My family has emptied all of our savings to secure a way to leave Gaza but simply we do not have enough money to get all of them out safely. As an aid worker, I never would have imagined asking this of my community as there is such great need out there but I am terrified that I will never see my family again. It is this or their death.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

I have initiated this GoFundMe campaign to raise ($60,000) to facilitate my family's evacuation to Egypt. Here's a breakdown of the funds:

• ($45,000) for Permits and Crossing Fees: The bulk of the funds, is crucial to cover the expenses associated with obtaining permits to leave Gaza and the crossing fees required at the Egypt-Gaza border in Rafah. This amount breaks down to a fee of $5,000 per person to cross the borders, plus other travel fees and transportation.

• ($7,000) for Immediate Support: This portion will go towards providing immediate assistance to my family as they navigate their way to safety in Egypt. It will cover their basic needs for accommodation, food, essential winter clothing, medication for my parents and other essentials during the transitional period.

• ($1500) to cover school registration fees for my nephews and nieces in Egypt.

• ($1500) to cover GoFundMe's Transaction fees. The transaction fee (2.9%+$0.30 per donation).

Your donation, no matter how small, will make a significant impact and contribute to reuniting my family in a safe environment. The funds raised will be used transparently and efficiently to ensure that every dollar goes towards securing their evacuation.

THANK YOU

Your support means the world to me, and I am immensely grateful for any assistance you can provide during this challenging time.

Thank you for your compassion, and generosity, and for standing with us in solidarity. Together, we can make a difference and help my family find the safety and security they urgently need.

PLEASE SHARE

Please share this campaign with your friends, family, and colleagues to help us reach our goal and bring my family to safety.

*We have not included full names for safety and privacy- some friends experienced anonymous threats after setting up crowdfunding initiatives in Gaza.