Help the Al Sharif family survive & leave Gaza

Hello everyone,

My name is Saoirse.

I am fundraising on behalf of a friend of mine, Mohammed Al Sharif and his family in Palestine. The Al Sharif family consist of 4 families with 20 children. They are in great need of support after facing unimaginable loss and trauma. Please join me in supporting them.

Saoirse don Phalaistín ☘️

Here is their story:

Hi everyone,

My name is Mohammed Al Sharif, a 29-year-old from the Gaza Strip. Today, I am reaching out to those who still believe in justice and the right of Palestinians to live with dignity in this world.

For years, I worked hard to build a promising future for myself and my family. I pursued a career in management, marketing, and public relations, eventually becoming the assistant manager at the American International School in Gaza. I also started my own taxi business, which I was proud to run successfully. But everything I worked for came crashing down after the war on Gaza began on October 7th.

Life before war:

When the Israeli forces ordered us to evacuate our home, my family and I had no choice but to leave. We found temporary shelter at my sister's house, only to be forced to flee again three days later under relentless shelling.

We escaped with nothing, hoping we would return to our home the next day. That day never came.

On October 13th, we were ordered to move even further south. My siblings and I became separated, with half of us in the north and the rest in the south. Eventually, even those of us in the south had to split up because we couldn’t find a shelter large enough to accommodate us all. The pain of being torn apart was indescribable.

Our home:

Since then, every day has been a struggle for survival. I’ve been doing my best to help my family secure basic needs, but our situation grows more desperate with each passing day. I lost everything—my job, my home, and my business.

My car:

Tragedy struck my family even further. On the 29th of November, my beloved brother Ra’fat was killed in a airstrike and martyred leaving behind four children. He was a devoted husband and loving father to his children. The loss is indescribable. At the beginning of 2024, I also lost another brother to a sudden heart attack, leaving his wife and four daughters in my care.

With two of my brothers gone and their children relying on me, I am doing everything I can to carry this immense responsibility, but the burden is overwhelming.

In my worst nightmares, I never imagined living through such horror. Days are spent moving between different shelters, checking on my scattered family members, and doing everything I can to keep them safe. But no matter how hard I try, it feels impossible to stay strong under the weight of this tragedy.

I hesitated for a long time before asking for help. I’ve always been self-reliant, a personal pledge I made to my parents, may their souls rest in peace. But now, I realise I cannot stand alone anymore.

On the 24th of December my sisters Rana, Haneen, sister in law Laila were able to safely evacuate from northern Gaza with their children. However, to add to our heartache my sisters husbands were unjustly detained at an Israeli checkpoint and their fate still remains unknown. We remain hopeful they will return safe soon.

My sister Rana is awaiting to receive cancer treatment, so this additional stress of her husband’s detainment and providing for her children while sick herself is unimaginable.

Every donation will go towards providing shelter, accommodation, winter clothes, blankets, food, water and medication for my family. Additionally your support will help us seek a safe way out of Gaza for me and my late brothers and sisters families.

I hope to rebuild our lives in safety and provide my nieces and nephews with the education, stability, and peace they deserve.

Some photos of my nieces and nephews in happier, safer times.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for any contribution you can make, your support will not only help us survive but also restore hope and humanity to our lives.

Mohammed