I live in North Carolina and I’m trying to raise money on behalf of my cousin Tareq Almadhoun and his children. My cousin lost everything and is trying to evacuate Gaza, along with his four children and wife. Here’s a message from him:

Hello,

My name is Tareq Almadhoun, a pharmacist who lives in Gaza with my wife, father, mother and four children. Before last October, we were living comfortably in our cozy, beautiful home until the incessant, horrendous bombardments took that security away from us, along with any hope for a safe life in Gaza. In the last several months, we've lost dozens of family members.

Like many other people, we had to look for refuge in Rafah. As a father of four beautiful children, I found myself trapped in a never-ending war, forced to live in a tent, without the basic necessities. We are living off scraps of canned food, and lack any healthy food or medicine. Access to clean water is a luxury we can’t afford.

The tent we are living in is surrounded by sewage, since there aren’t any bathroom facilities. I can see how it's eating my children alive, killing them slowly. This war has left us with nothing; we often feel like bodies without souls. As parents, we are heart broken that we can't provide for ourselves or our children. My children are constantly sick because of the toxic environment we’re living in.

Our home before the war

After Israeli bombardment destroyed our home

We’re desperately seeking financial assistance to evacuate from the dangerous, impossible situation in Gaza. Our immediate goal is to flee to a safe place for our family, away from the ongoing conflict, where we can begin the process of rebuilding our shattered lives. The funds will be used for essential needs such as temporary housing, food, medical care, and for urgent travel through the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, requiring a hefty $5,000-10,000 travel fee per individual.

I am reaching out to you: dear friends, family, and compassionate strangers, to ask for your support in funding our evacuation. We have zero savings. Here's a breakdown of costs:

Adam will collect the funds in her US-based account and securely transfer it to Tareq via Western Union. He will then use the funds to register his family members with an Egyptian travel agency so they can evacuate Gaza.

Your support, no matter how small, can make a significant difference in helping us escape the cycle of violence and uncertainty. By contributing to this campaign, you are providing a lifeline for my family to rebuild, heal, and start anew.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for considering our plea. Your kindness and generosity will make a profound difference in our lives.

Here's an updated message from Tareq as of 10-5-2025

️ A Test for Humanity

We are so tired.

People, feel what has happened to us — we no longer have the strength to endure more pain, pressure, fear, oppression, or loss.

I wish that everyone who reads or hears about us would do something — anything — to ease our suffering and help stop this genocide and the agony we, along with our remaining children, women, and elderly, are living through.

As for the youth... there are no youth left.

Some went out to bring food to their families and returned as martyrs.

Some sacrificed their lives for this land.

Some were captured.

And those who remain — they are no longer young.

We are living in a state of emergency and war that has lasted nearly two years — two years in which every minute, every second, holds a story, a pain, and a suffering that only those who have tasted it can truly understand.

Peace be upon our youth —

those who spent the bloom of their lives fighting to survive instead of living, peace upon our dreams that were buried, and upon our days that were stolen.

We were supposed to live, as the rest of the world lives — in joy, peace, and safety.

Hi, my cousin has another update as of December 5th, 2025:

I never imagined I would one day stand in the ruins of my own home, touching the broken stones as if they were the remains of my life.

This was the place where my children learned to walk, where we shared meals, where we dreamed of a peaceful future. Today, all that’s left is dust, silence, and memories that hurt to remember.

Every time I lift a piece of rubble, it feels like I’m lifting the weight of my own heartbreak.

The walls that once protected us are gone.

The rooms that once held our laughter are now open to the sky.

At night, I still hear the blast. I still feel the ground shaking beneath my feet. I wake up sweating, reaching for the people I love, hoping they’re still alive beside me. The trauma doesn’t end when the explosions stop — it stays inside, echoing again and again.

I am trying to rebuild — not just a home, but the life that was stolen from us.

And I cannot do it alone.

If you can help, even with the smallest amount, you’re not just giving us shelter.

You’re giving us hope.

You’re helping me show my family that even after the darkest nights… there is still someone out there who cares.

From the shattered heart of Gaza, I am trying to rise again — piece by piece, breath by breath.