This fundraiser is for my young friend, Mohammed Zaq, an 18-year-old in Gaza who is still trying to finish high school and support his family nearly two years after the Israeli genocide.

When the destruction of Gaza began, Mohammed was still preparing for his graduation exams, hoping to enter university and study to become an accountant. Even after his family lost their home, he continued to try to study through intermittent internet connections and displacement. After his phone was destroyed—a lifeline for many Palestinians in Gaza—he continued to borrow it for a few hours a day to continue his studies remotely. Although he should be in university by now, he has yet to finish high school due to the Israeli military bombardment and blockade.

Mohammed now lives with 18 family members in a three-bedroom apartment in central Gaza City. The family includes two elderly grandparents, a two-month-old baby girl, and several other young children. Mohammed's father is a doctor and continued to work at the hospital throughout the genocide, but he rarely receives a salary because Israel prevents employees from receiving their salaries.  By pooling all available resources across families, they are still struggling to pay the $700 monthly rent.

When I asked Mohammed about his daily life these days (August 2025), he said, "We wake up and eat whatever food is available—lentils or pasta, sometimes rice. Then we go looking for more food and water, which is extremely difficult. Even when it's available to buy, it's difficult to obtain due to the lack of funds. There's a 54% fee for withdrawing cash, so $100 becomes $47."

As of August 2025, all the money on this GoFundMe has been spent. Mohammed hopes to raise another $3,000 (which comes to about $1,500 after withdrawal fees). He will use this money to:

$0-$2,000: Help with rent, and buy diapers and formula for his two-month-old niece, Masa.

 $2,000-$3,000: Purchase a new phone (yes, they are still available in Gaza, but at a high cost) so he can attempt to complete his high school exams remotely, and restore internet/WhatsApp access to help him find food and stay connected to the world.

Anonymous

Sara Mountjoy-Pepka

Faye Bradley

Loretta Poundall Poundall

Omer Ece

Sara Zahir

Azalia McKenzie

Félicie Knoops

Oriane Dallemagne

Zaina Amer

Beth Brady

Claudia Abdelhaq

Help Mohammed and his family to have the best life 

Help Mohammed and his family to have the best life

Still $5,336 to go. Help us build momentum.