A Mother's Cry: Save My Young Children from War

Hi, I'm starting this campaign with a heavy heart and a plea for help.

My name is Islam Darabeh, and I'm a mother of four wonderful children – my daughter Elin is 10 years old, and my three sons, Qusai 7, Karam 4, and Nazeh is 3 years old. We used to live a simple and content life in Gaza City until the ugly war turned our lives upside down.

We were forced to leave our home because of the threats of destruction. We thought we'd be safe in the south of the strip as was told, but we quickly realised nowhere in Gaza is truly safe, especially with fears of invading the rest of the south, where we are now.

The war took away more than just our home; it took away our way of making a living. My husband Adham lost his job as a driving instructor. We now rely on whatever little help we get from aid organisations. But it's never enough to cover the demands of our four young children.

Now, we're living in a makeshift tent, struggling every day just to get by. I never thought my children would have to go through this, but this is our reality now – a reality filled with fear and uncertainty.

It's very hard for me writing these words. I have seen horrible things here, I've lost family members, friends and neighbours, many of which were just young children. I keep trying not to imagine my children getting hurt, but it's hard with all of what is happening day to day here. I don't know what would I do if anything were to happen to them God forbids.

Please, try to imagine if this were happening to your family God forbids – I'm sure you'd do anything to keep your children safe.

We've tried every way of coping, but the situation keeps getting worse and worse. As a mother, all I want is to give my children the chance they deserve in life. We have the option now to leave Gaza. However, we can't do it alone. The fees to coordinate our evacuation are $5,000 per adult and half of that per child – a huge amount for us to come up with on our own.

I'm asking for your help, no matter how small. Your kindness could be the difference between us staying trapped in this nightmare or finding a path to safety and security for my children.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for considering helping us. Please share it with your family and friends

With gratitude!