My name is Mohammad, and I am a 21-year-old Palestinian from Gaza. I am reaching out to you with a heavy heart and a personal plea for assistance, as my life has taken a series of unexpected turns. I have endured five Israeli military assaults in my lifetime, with the latest being the most brutal and unforgiving. This has left me grappling with profound losses and insurmountable challenges.

Before the onset of the conflict, I secured a spot at a Turkish university, filled with hope for a brighter future. However, the recent crisis has made pursuing education and survival incredibly difficult. As a financially constrained student with a jobless status due to visa limitations, I find myself isolated in a new and unfamiliar land, struggling to get through each day.

I am writing to you with a humble plea for any assistance or support you may be able to provide. My journey leading up to this plea has been marked by an unprecedented crisis, and I feel compelled to share my story with you.

My story:

In the summer of 2023, I applied to several university scholarship programs outside of Gaza. The joy of being accepted by a Turkish university filled me with hope. With my acceptance letter arriving in August 2023, I began working tirelessly to save money for tuition fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and other expected expenses for the academic semester starting in February 2024. This opportunity empowered me to strive for a brighter future and the ability to create a better life for my family – a privilege rare in Gaza.

However, tragedy struck in October 2023 when my house was bombed, resulting in the separation of my family and the destruction of all my belongings. Amidst the chaos, I discovered my severely injured mother, along with two younger siblings who miraculously survived the air strike. Unfortunately, my father and two other younger siblings were trapped beneath the debris, and their fate remains unknown.

With no home and an overcrowded hospital, I sought refuge outside Al Shifa Hospital for several weeks while my mother received treatment for her injuries.

Before the attack on my home, my family had prepared a bag containing our documents—a common practice in Gaza in case of displacement. At the hospital, my younger sister carried this bag, and I retrieved my papers while withdrawing my savings from the only functioning bank in Gaza.

When Israeli airstrikes began targeting the hospital and its surroundings, I fled south towards the Egyptian border. In a critical moment, I used my savings to pay the fees required to exit through the Rafah border, totaling about $4000. Upon entering Egypt, I arranged a flight to Turkey, applied for my student residence permit, and nearly depleted all my funds on essential needs, primarily food and shelter.

Despite actively searching for employment for weeks, my status confined to a student visa has presented significant challenges in securing a job. To work in Turkey, one needs to obtain a work permit. However, work permits for international students are only granted after completing the first year of education—yet the tuition fees alone are far beyond my financial means.

My primary focus right now is to attain a sense of stability by slowly rebuilding from the bottom up, with the ultimate goal of reuniting with the surviving members of my family currently facing unimaginable circumstances in Gaza.

As the first and only one from my family to leave Gaza, I yearn for a sense of familiarity. Therefore, I am now considering Ireland as a destination to pursue studies alongside a friend from Gaza who is already studying there.

I don't know when this bloodshed will end or when I will hear back from my mother next, but with your support, the least I can do is get back on my feet so that I can be there for my loved ones when the time comes.

I am reaching out for your help, and any assistance you can provide would mean a lot to me. I have outlined specific needs and associated costs below:

University Fees and Seat Reservation:

Amount: €4,000

Purpose: Covering university fees and reserving a seat.

Bank Account Statement (Visa Requirement):

Amount: €5,000

Purpose: Creating a bank account statement, a condition for the visa.

Housing and Initial Expenses:

Amount: Approximately €5,000

Purpose: Covering expenses related to renting a house and initial living costs.

Flight Ticket and Travel:

Amount: Approximately €400

Purpose: Covering the cost of a flight ticket and travel expenses.

GoFundMe Transaction Fees:

Amount: Approximately $600

Purpose: Covering GoFundMe's transaction fees (2.9% plus $0.30 per donation).

Western Union Fees and Exchange Rates:

Amount: Approximately $400

Purpose: Covering Western Union transfer fees, foreign exchange rates, and taxes.

Your support means the world to me, and I would be immensely grateful if you could share my link. Thank you for considering my situation.