Hassan Faraj is a father, a son, a brother, a husband, a friend, and a brilliant humanitarian visionary. Before the ongoing genocide, Hassan dedicated his life to his community in Gaza, initially as a civil servant and later through various awareness-raising initiatives. Then, in May 2024, right before the Israeli military's initial ground incursion into Rafah, Hassan's dear wife and two sons , Karim and Taym, successfully fled to Egypt. Hassan stayed in Gaza with his elderly parents, nieces, and nephews — all of whom depend on him.
While we initially began this campaign to raise funds for Hassan's exit permit from Gaza to Egypt, titled "Help Hassan Reunite With His Family," your generosity has taken us far beyond this. We've since raised enough money to:
- Obtain permits for Hassan to leave Gaza and travel to Egypt once the Rafah border reopens.
- Financially support Hassan's scattered and separated family in Egypt.
- Pay for medical bills and food for Hassan's elderly parents and family in Gaza.
- Deliver a day of singing and dancing to the children in Hassan's neighborhood of Maghazi. Although, it is with immeasurably heavy hearts that we must also share the news of an airstrike on December 29, 2024, which killed and injured some of the same children we supported through this initiative.
- Create a small, at-home cinema for 22 children in Maghazi, where the children had a safe place to watch a short film as well as videos of support sent in by all of you, and enjoy handmade decorations and juice. Pictured below.
Your collective show of solidarity, from every corner of this shared globe, has taken a world of weight off of the shoulders of Hassan and his loved ones, as well as reminded us of why we must keep showing up — most importantly when the odds feel insurmountable. We thank you for standing with us.
We won't stop fundraising and working towards the realization of Palestinian dreams. Be it Hassan's, Karim's, Taym's, or the next generation of Palestinians — all of whose honor, compassion, and hope are models to us all. Your donations will continue to support Hassan's family in Egypt and Gaza, as well as the following:
- A small solar-powered home cinema in Maghazi Camp that can serve more children. The idea is to host a simple film screening every two weeks for 33 kids, with a bit of juice and snacks — a small joy in a world turned upside down. Our goal is an additional $5,000 in which every dollar will go toward solar panels, a tent, a screen, and costs for snacks, power, and equipment. Every $10 covers one child's joyful escape. Help us bring more light to Gaza's children.
Hassan, Bushra and I thank you. You've shown us what is possible when we stand together.
Organizer
Drew Baldwin
Organizer
Albany, CA