Protect my children from starvation (North Gaza)

Hello, my name is Israa Abu Asfa. To all readers, I hope you read these lines with your hearts and feelings. This is what my sister Soma wrote when I asked her to write her story for this campaign.

I don't know how to begin. We used to talk about our sorrows and complain to family members so we could receive love and support that would ease the burden on us. But now my family and my people are afflicted. Everyone is in pain, everyone is dying without exception, and no one hears us. No one can ease our pain. Gaza was destroyed, and with it our lives, our memories, our warm home, even our dreams. We no longer dare to dream.

In northern Gaza, we experienced events that felt like the horrors of the apocalypse. We emerged from under the rubble more than once, but thank God we survived each time. Days passed with terrifying sounds of bombing, explosions, and the screams of neighbors. Every time I held my children in my arms, I hoped not to cry so I could appear strong in front of them, but the situation was much bigger. I was trembling. And I cried just like them. We were besieged many times and couldn't get food or water. Seeing my children throw themselves on the ground from hunger and thirst was terrifying. How could I be so helpless? I would imitate them and throw myself on the ground and cry too.

We were displaced from our home three times. It was terrifying. Seeing the bombing around us and seeing people dying in the streets as they fled was terrifying. My husband and I grabbed our children and ran, not knowing where to go. We ran as fast as we could, not knowing when to stop and where to stand.

No matter how much I describe the horror and pain we went through, I won't be able to, but I know you feel it from the bottom of my heart. I hope you support us so we can survive. I just want to silence the hunger in my children's stomachs. Please.

Soma, my sister, has been living through extremely difficult circumstances, just like other families in my city. Soma is a mother of two beautiful children, "Jourie and Abdulrahman." Her husband suffers from a heart condition.

Before the war, her husband had a job. Despite his health condition,

he worked and struggled to feed his children and live a normal life. But now, everything has been unjustly taken from them.

I hope you will extend a helping hand and show humanity to this family struggling to survive.

Donation funds will be used to purchase food, water, and medicine.