Urgent Help Needed: Reuniting My Family from Gaza

--- 日本語 ⬇️ ---

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Strangers,

I come to you with a plea for help that weighs heavy on my heart. My name is Sara, and I am reaching out to ask for your support in reuniting my family, who are currently facing unimaginable hardship in Gaza.

For the past five years, I've been living and working in Japan, sending nearly half of my modest salary to my family back home. However, despite my best efforts, the situation has become dire. My family consists of my mother, brother, two sisters, niece, two nephews, and brother-in-law. They have lost everything they owned, including their homes, in the devastating situation in Gaza.

As if their loss wasn't enough, they've been forced to evacuate from Gaza City to the south of Gaza, where they've been living with different relatives for the past four months. Their living conditions are deplorable—they barely have enough food, and they are constantly sick due to the lack of warmth and adequate clothing.

Tragically, I have already experienced the heartache of losing a father and a sister due to the blockade on Gaza, which prevented them from receiving the proper medical treatment they desperately needed. I cannot bear the thought of losing more loved ones to this senseless violence and oppression.

Currently, my family's only hope lies in reaching safety outside of Gaza. The journey to the Egyptian border is perilous, and the costs are exorbitant—$7000 USD per person, to be exact. This amount covers the travel expenses and ensures their safe passage out of Gaza. Additionally, we need to raise a few thousand extra dollars to help them settle in once they arrive at their destination.

Unfortunately, I do not have any savings to cover these expenses. Every penny I earn goes towards supporting my family's basic needs. This is why I am turning to you, dear supporters, for help. Your generous contributions will not only help reunite my family but also provide them with a chance at a better life—one free from fear, hunger, and uncertainty.

Our immediate goal is to get my family to safety outside Gaza. Here's the breakdown of expenses:

Border crossing expenses (8 people x $7000 each): $56,000

Stay in Cairo: $3000

Flights from Cairo to Ankara (including return for visa purposes): $2500

Visa fees: $628

Passports for sister and her three children: $2000

Living expenses in Ankara (including rent for three months in advance): $24,000

Total Expenses: $86,128

With your help, we also include a buffer of approximately 10% to cover any unexpected expenses, bringing the total to approximately $94,740.

Converting to Euros with today's exchange rate of 0.93:

Total Expenses in Euros: $86,128 * 0.93 ≈ 80,018.24 Euros

Total with buffer: $94,740 * 0.93 ≈ 88,500 Euros (rounded up)

Please understand that the prices on the ground are constantly changing and I might have to change the goal at some point.

I'm fortunate to have a friend in the Netherlands who's helping me navigate the GoFundMe transfer process, as Japan isn't currently supported for direct transfers. Once the funds hit my bank account, I'll promptly send them over to my family in Gaza. They'll use the money for essential needs like coordinating their border crossing and other immediate expenses. Any remaining funds will be allocated for purchasing tickets, arranging accommodations, and handling online transactions as needed. Rest assured, I'll keep you updated every step of the way.

Words cannot express the depth of gratitude I feel for any support you can offer. Whether it's a donation, a share, or simply keeping my family in your thoughts and prayers, every bit of support makes a difference. With your help, we can bring my family out of harm's way and give them the opportunity for a new beginning.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing with us in this time of need.

With sincere appreciation,

Sara

--- 日本語 ---

親愛なる友人、家族、そして親切な見知らぬ人たちへ、 私の心に重くのしかかる助けを求めに参りました。私の名前はサラです。現在ガザで想像を絶する苦難に直面している私の家族と再会させるために、皆さんの支援をお願いします。 過去5年間、私は日本に住み、働き、わずかな給料の半分近くを故郷の家族に送ってきました。しかし、私の最善の努力にもかかわらず、状況は悲惨なものになっています。私の家族は、母、兄、2人の姉、姪、2人の甥、義理の兄で構成されている。彼らは、ガザの壊滅的な状況の中で、家も含めて所有するものすべてを失ってしまいました。 まるで失ったものがまだ十分でないかのように、彼らはガザ市からガザ南部への避難を余儀なくされ、過去4ヶ月間、別の親戚の家に住んでいます。彼らの生活環境は嘆かわしいもので、十分な食料もほとんどなく、暖かさや十分な衣服がないため、常に体調を崩しています。 悲劇的なことに、ガザ封鎖によって父と妹を失い、彼らが切実に必要としていた適切な治療を受けられなくなったという心の痛みを、私はすでに経験している。この無分別な暴力と抑圧によって、これ以上愛する人を失うことは耐えられません。

現在、私の家族の唯一の希望は、ガザの外の安全な場所にたどり着くことです。エジプト国境までの旅は危険で、その費用は法外です。この金額で旅費を賄い、ガザから安全に脱出できるようにする。さらに、目的地に到着した後、彼らが落ち着いて生活できるよう、数千ドルの追加資金を集める必要があります。 残念なことに、私にはこれらの出費をカバーする貯蓄がありません。私が稼いだお金はすべて、家族の基本的な生活を支えるために使われています。だからこそ、親愛なるサポーターの皆さんに助けを求めているのです。皆様の寛大なご寄付は、私の家族を再会させるだけでなく、恐怖、飢え、不安から解放されたより良い生活を送るチャンスを提供することになります。 私たちの当面の目標は、家族をエジプトに連れて行き、その後、トルコで薬学を学んでいる妹と再会させることです。そして、トルコで薬学を勉強している妹と再会することです。 寄付金は、10月の出張中にガザの外で足止めを食らい、亡命を求めているヨー ロッパの姉の銀行口座に届きます。国境や交通費を賄うため、ガザにある私たち家族の現地銀行口座に直接送金できるのは彼女だけです。 言葉では言い表せないほど、皆さんからの支援に深く感謝しています。それが寄付であれ、分け前であれ、あるいは単に私の家族を皆さんの思いと祈りの中に留めておくことであれ、どんな小さな支援でも違いを生み出します。皆さんの助けがあれば、私の家族を危険な状況から救い出し、新たな出発の機会を与えることができます。 この必要な時に私たちとともにいてくれて、心から感謝しています。 心から感謝を込めて。 サラ