Angham was hesitant when I offered to create this GoFundMe on her behalf. It had been less than a month since both of her parents were killed in an airstrike; their blood, she remarked, hadn’t yet dried. However, the overwhelming fear of an uncertain future and the life-threatening circumstances she is currently enduring left her with no alternative but to agree. As her friend, I created this GoFundMe, desperately seeking your generous support to help evacuate Angham and her brother to Egypt.

My friend Angham has a heart of gold and a contagious laugh. Only 23 years old, she is already becoming the heroine of her own story. Angham is a Palestinian youth activist who runs youth-related programs in local institutions to support fellow youth in the Gaza Strip, socially and economically.

Angham’s Family:

Angham’s mother was one of the kindest and most light-hearted people you could ever meet. She was a dedicated teacher, who used to believe that education is the best shield that anyone could have. She sacrificed her life for Angham and her siblings to have the best education and life. Angham’s father was an extroverted and cheerful uncle to me, the type of person who lights up the room whenever he walks in. His daughter, Angham, meant the world to him, and he was a protective father who wanted the best for her.

Amjad, Angham’s big brother, embodies the definition of hard-working. He is known by all for his strong work ethic despite the lack of opportunities and staggeringly high unemployment rates in the Gaza Strip. Amjad has actively engaged in various manual labor jobs, transitioning from one to another, with the aim of establishing a prosperous future and creating a family of his own.

Losing Her Mother and Father

Angham’s family enjoyed life to the fullest — even after the start of the war on October 7 — since they had each other for support. But on the 24th of December, Angham’s life changed forever when airstrikes targeted her neighborhood.

They were all gathered in the living room when her mother asked her to grab something from her room, and that was the last thing that Angham remembers. When she woke up, the building had collapsed. Dust filled the air, and she was covered with rubble and blocks of concrete. Both of her legs were stuck in the rubble. She managed to free her legs and started a desperate search for her parents, alongside Amjad, who was himself badly wounded.

They both flung themselves on the rubble, scrabbling through the shattered concrete with their bare hands. Soon, however, due to her own injuries, the neighbors forced her into an ambulance. Angham doesn't recall how and when she arrived at the hospital, but the only thing she knows is that her kind mother and loving father were killed. She and her older brother's lives have changed, not having the warmth and security of their parents with them.

Where is Angham now?

Now, Angham and her brother are living at a hospital in the middle area of the Gaza Strip, sharing a very tiny room that is crowded with hospital equipment and shared with 10 other extended family members and strangers. The conditions are unbearable to live in and there are no other safe places or apartments to rent. They have been cut off from safe drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and food. They might have to evacuate the hospital anytime soon since militant tanks are only a few meters away, and with the recent cutoff of funding to the UNRWA by the United States, hope for stabilization is dwindling.

Angham and her brother do not have the luxury of time to grieve the loss of their parents, since their lives have become about survival from this genocide. Currently, the only way to safety is to leave Gaza through the Egyptian borders by obtaining permission from the Egyptian government. This life-saving permit costs $11,000 US per person, an unattainable amount for Angham and her brother on their own.

This fund will cover the following:

This is a matter of life and death for Angham and her brother. Every day is becoming more dangerous with the cold winter and lack of basic necessities, including food, water, and electricity. Through this GoFundMe, you can help Angham and her brother survive this conflict by crossing into Egypt and pursue her parents' wish that they live a better life.

About the organizers

Jomana Abunahla holds a Bachelor's degree in English language translation from Al-Azhar University in Gaza. She is an activist dedicated to advocating for women, people with disabilities, and children's rights. She was selected to represent her country as one of the Young Women Peacebuilders by UN Women. She is also a member of the Y-peer network since 2019, where she managed to successfully promote and organize a series of workshops to introduce sexual and reproductive health and gender equality for youth and adolescents. Through her work and activism, she strives to create and sustain a just and equitable society and eliminate all forms of gender-based violence.

Jimmy Thomson is a British Columbia-based environmental journalist and journalism teacher who met Angham in his capacity as a mentor with We Are Not Numbers. He is handling the financial transfers and the administration of this campaign.