Rebuilding for Abu Jamil, his children, and Fahim Project

This GoFundMe supports Abu Jamil Qeshta’s family as they rebuild their home once again.

I have known Abu Jamil, his wife Noura, and his nine children, since I lived in Rafah from 2003-4. They are like family to me. They have hosted human rights workers from around the world. At this link you can see Abu Jamil’s interview on Democracy Now. Here’s a link to an essay I wrote about them, published last year in Hayden’s Ferry Review.

Abu Jamil’s family is native to Rafah, going back millenia. Israel has now destroyed their home for the third time since 2004. In the past year of displacement, they have survived cholera, hepatitis, blindness, the loss of Abu Jamil's grandnephews Hamdan and Muhamad, and the tent massacre at Al-Mawasi.

Even in their displacement, Abu Jamil and his family are working tirelessly to support those around them. His children have organized the Fahim Project, which distributes grassroots aid to 80 families each month and is now working to rebuild water wells and distribute water in the North.

This grassroots effort is evermore critical as the US and Israel defund and attack UNRWA, Gaza’s main source of aid distribution.

The new house will provide shelter to the family, and will also serve as the headquarters for the Fahim Project, allowing their operations to be sustainable. It will be a simple structure for now, but they will expand it later if the ceasefire holds.

Please note, it’s horrific but necessary in this moment to mention that the family has relatives and connections in Egypt, where they can continue this work if needed. We are fundraising now to ensure their stability in whatever situation.

This family gives open-heartedly to those in need. For over two decades, they’ve been a pillar of our grassroots movement, raising awareness about the beauty and dignity of Palestine.

I am pasting below an appeal from Abu Jamil’s daughter, Basant, a medical student who spent the last year being trained in Gaza’s barely functioning hospitals. Below that is a detailed budget. If you are able to give, please do.

From Basant:

Hello everyone, we are the Qeshta family. In just one moment, our world collapsed, and we lost everything that represented safety and stability to us. We are a family of 11 members who used to live a simple and peaceful life in a beautiful and spacious home surrounded by olive trees. These olive trees, over 80 years old, stood tall as witnesses to our family’s history and deep roots.

Our home, once filled with love and warmth, is now nothing but rubble. The car my father relied on to meet our daily needs is now just a pile of metal, and our garden, which once bloomed with hope, has turned into a silent void. All that remains are memories.

My mother is the most patient person I have ever seen in my life. She has endured so much since we were children. Our first home, located near the border, was demolished. During that time, in 2002, we came to know the heroic members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), who stood by us, defended us, and protected us from the threat of the Israeli army.

Later, we lost our second home in 2008 during the first war after the Israeli army withdrew from Gaza. Our third home was destroyed two months ago. It was a four-story building that was meant to secure a future for my three brothers, as my father, growing older, wanted them to have stability and safety. Each time my father rebuilt our home, it was more beautiful than the one before.

But this time, due to his advanced age and the loss of our source of income, we were left with nothing. Our land was destroyed, along with the olive trees that had stood for decades as a symbol of our resilience on this land.

We are six sisters and three brothers. It is extremely difficult for us to live in a tent, as it offers no privacy and is not even large enough to accommodate us due to our big family. The life of displacement and living in tents is incredibly hard; it feels like you're living in a constant state of chaos and depression. How can anyone adapt to such a life after having their own room and personal belongings?

In the tent, we all sleep together, which leads to the rapid spread of illnesses and viruses among us, like a chain reaction—if one person gets sick, everyone does. There is no privacy at all, and we even have to share a bathroom with another family. During moments of gunfire, the fear is overwhelming because a piece of fabric cannot protect you from shrapnel.

We believe in your support, generosity, and kindness to help us rebuild our lives after losing everything—our memories, schools, and universities. Nothing remains in the city we love but rubble and pain.

CONSTRUCTION BUDGET: $40,000

Foundation concrete: 120 cubic meters, $14,000

Cinder block: 5,000 blocks, $4,000

Rebar: 15 tons, $10,000

Electrical and plumbing: $3,000

Doors and windows: $2,000

Labor and tool rental: $6,000