Animal became a part of one's soul, Story needs your support

In a story that goes beyond the limits of imagination and the sacrifices of lovers, you are invited to reward Mr. Fathi Juma’, owner of Rafah's Zoo, for his unlimited giving, sacrifices, and extreme care for animals over of 30 years.

Despite the repeated bulldozing of the park and the loss of many rare animals, Mr. Fathi succeeded in preserving their reproduction and preventing them from extinction in the Gaza Strip despite the difficult challenges and harsh conditions.

Mr. Fathi built the park , stone by stone, with his bare hands, along with his children, to become the largest and greatest zoo in Rafah. It even became a national heritage not only for the people of Rafah, but for all the residents of Gaza.

Over of 30 years, through this park, Mr. Fathi worked hard to provide a perfect service for animals and their community, which became an integrated ecosystem that includes more than 500 animals and more than 200 trees, including 100 palm trees.

Over the past years, Mr. Fathi's zoo has been completely bulldozed several times, which caused to the death of animals and the escape of some of them.

For example, in 2004, the park was completely bulldozed. There was no trees or cage left, and there were no signs of life except sand and destruction.

The park's losses that year were estimated at $400,000. Despite the extent of the devastation and the devastating losses, and despite not receiving any kind of compensation from the institutions concerned, Mr. Fathi’s insistence on rebuilding the park was great.

The park became more beautiful and colorful than before.

Until October 17, 2023, the day of the largest displacement of the people of Gaza City and its north. On a day of dispersion and loss, when anxiety was controlling everyone due to the continuous bombing day and night, Mr. Fathi decided to open the doors of his home and park to more than 200 people from the Jumaa family. The cages were turned into shelters, and the garden became a safe haven from the cold of winter and air and artillery strikes, while others made tents next to the animals.

Despite the scarcity of resources, Mr. Fathi shared what he had with the displaced, providing them with electricity, water, food, and most importantly, safety.

Mr. Fathi contacted local authorities in Rafah to provide relief materials, transforming the garden into an oasis of inexhaustible giving.

The displaced people were impressed by Mr. Fathi's resilience and dedication to animals. In turn, they shared their resources with the animals, especially during the period of severe siege on the Gaza Strip. In these difficult times, the highest human values were demonstrated, as everyone showed their love for each other through sharing and sharing.

The situation in the park remained stable until May 9, 2024, when the ground invasion of Rafah was announced, and the surrounding neighborhoods were informed of the necessity of immediate evacuation. The displaced began to leave the park, and it turned from a place bustling with life into a deserted place.

Mr. Fathi was afraid at that time, not for himself, as he is a bold, brave and strong man, but for his many animals and his dream, which might be destroyed at any moment. He was fully aware of the fate of the park in the event of a land invasion, as the number of animals exceeded his capabilities for evacuation. He realized that he had to act immediately to evacuate the animals, but unfortunately the Brazil neighborhood was notified also to evacuate immediately on May 11, 2024.

Despite the challenges, and thanks to human and logistical efforts, Mr. Fathi succeeded in finding an alternative to the garden. He was able to rent a livestock farm in Khan Yunis and evacuated all the following animals: parrots, birds, deer, three cubs, monkeys, geese, pigeons, and chickens.

On the morning of May 9, 2023, a missile fell from a Quad captor plane next to the Three Lions' shelter.

Mr. Fathi harried to take immediate action to move the animals to the emergency prepared ground. But he found the land already settled by many displaced people.

Mr. Fathi was unable to evacuate the animals in a way that would guarantee their safety during and after the evacuation process.

At the same time, Mr. Fathi launched several appeals to local and international authorities in the Gaza Strip including the United Nations and animal rights organizations, to help him evacuate the three lions trapped in the Rafah Zoo. Despite repeated appeals through social media pages and the media, and direct communication with animal rights organizations, all attempts failed.

On June 25, 2024, while Mr. Fathi was closed to reach an agreement to donate the three lions to an international organization concerned with animal rights, the park was bulldozed and completely destroyed, with shocking news that the three lions had died, without bodies or evidence proving their final fate.

On July 1, 2024, the occupation army notified some eastern areas in Khan Yunis to evacuate immediately.

Mr. Fathi decided to donate his animals under conditions that guarantee their safety and security during the operation. Evacuation and providing safe shelters for them for life.

If you are fighting for the marginalized and advocating for important issues, then Mr. Fathi and his family need you now to provide for them a helping hand in order to rebuild themselves, home and Rafah’s Zoo which were bulldozed on 25/06/2024.

Your contribution, no matter how small, will help Mr. Fathi to:

Rebuilding his home, his life, and the lives of his children, which were completely destroyed, will help them continue their education and build a stable future for them.