"My name is Emad, a 23-year-old young man carrying countless dreams that have turned to ashes under the weight of harsh circumstances. Because of the war in Gaza and my parent's health issues, I've become the primary caretaker for both my parents and three younger siblings.

In 2019, I graduated high school with good scores. I dreamed of attending university like my friends, but financial hardships stood in my way. I worked at a printing press for a year, then took a job cleaning newly constructed homes. I struggled to make ends meet until, in 2021, I managed to enroll in university to study accounting. I fought tirelessly to balance work and study—working as a taxi driver at night and attending lectures during the day—all while shouldering the responsibility of supporting my family: my ailing father, my health-stricken mother, and my younger siblings. Then the war came and shattered everything. We lost our home. My university shut down. My job disappeared. All that remained was pain and tears.

On October 25, I was displaced to my aunt’s house when the area was bombed. I narrowly survived, but most of those with me were killed. On October 28, my birthday, I was in Al-Shifa Hospital recovering from my injuries while everything around me continued to collapse. Miraculously I survived again. My family is now homeless. My father, who suffers from chronic illnesses, can no longer work. My mother, worn down by life, requires medical care that is unavailable. My sister, Rawan, who had just begun her university journey, saw her dreams crushed by the war. My brother, Mohammed, who once dreamed of a bright future, now focuses solely on finding food to survive. My youngest brother, Yazan, knows nothing of childhood joy; his days are consumed by the struggle for basic necessities.

(This is a photo of Emad after he was pulled from the rubble.) 

We fled from our home in Sheikh Radwan to Rafah, then to Deir Al-Balah, seeking safety. But in Gaza, there is no safe place. Now we live in displacement camps, struggling to survive without food, water, or hope. On November 21, a nearby tent in our displacement camp was bombed, destroying our own tent entirely. We barely survived the shrapnel. For three nights, we slept without shelter until we managed to rebuild what remained of our tent.

I turn to you with an urgent humanitarian plea. We are a family devastated by war, in desperate need of food and shelter. I dream of taking my family to a safe place, away from the sound of bombs, where we can start anew. Any support you can provide would be a lifeline in this overwhelming darkness. Thank you from the depths of my heart."

(Emad's mother, Ola Abu Karsh, who is currently suffering from pinched nerves with no access to medical treatment.)

(Emad's father, Basil Abu Karsh, who has spinal rheumatism and disc herniation with no access to medical treatment.)

Photo of Emad’s two younger brothers