Hi, my name is Shantini, and I am urgently fundraising for my friend Karima in Gaza, along with her husband and two children, Abdullah, 7, and Ali, 6.

Karima's area has been bombed many times, and her neighbours houses are destroyed. Her husband was a taxi driver until his car was destroyed in the war. Karima is a specialist in teaching Arabic and speaks English. She has been trying to teach her two boys at home because there's nowhere for them to go to school. Karima says:

"Twice a house next to ours was bombed. I remember the smell of gunpowder covering my entire house and seeing my children running towards me in terror and the rubble and stones of the house falling on top...I thought this was the worst thing that could happen to us. Despite the bombings we remained in our house, after having made modest repairs, that is, putting nylon in the places of the cracks and windows that were destroyed due to the bombings. We suffer in everything. Every day we hear about the loss of someone dear to our hearts and see terrible things that the mind cannot imagine. The occupation forces invaded Al-Maghazi camp and forced us to out. From home we fled to a tent in the UNRWA industrial zone in Khan Yunis... and here we experienced another war and another tragedy, which is living in a tent in winter and in the cold. We were infected with endless diseases due to congestion and the tent that did not protect from the cold. My children have contracted hepatitis A and other diseases. Endless diseases of the skin and chest. We have no gas for heat or cooking. We suffer trying to find food. There was a raid in the vicinity of the industrial zone, and we experienced another indescribable horror: being in a tent with bullets and shelling next to it, and the tent does not protect from anything. The industrial area we were in was bombed, even though it was said to be safe. Here we were displaced again in Deir al-Balah in a tent, where there was no food. No accommodation and no security. After that, I returned to the apartment where I live, despite the damage there. I want to get out of this hell. I want to save my children and for them to see a new life free from horror and destruction. They are just 6 and 7 year olds who have witnessed horrors that no one can bear. I'm just a mother who wants life for her children."

We are asking for an urgent $2000 to apply urgently for a permit to leave Gaza through the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. After that they will need:

$15,000 for travel to Egypt ($5,000 per adult and $2,500 per child)

$1,500 for travel papers, clothing, and travel supplies

$3,000 for rent in Egypt for 6 months to get settled and get work permits

$3000 for food, water and medicine

$1500 GoFundMe Fees

$2,000 for utilities, water, and heat

$2,000 to get the children started in school

Abdullah and Ali are beautiful, friendly children with incredible smiles. They love riding bikes, ice cream, and making new friends. They deserve a life free from fear like all children do. Please help us give that to them.