Help Evacuate Hala and Alaa out of Gaza

My name is Hala. Before March 19, I lived happily with my family—my mother, sisters, and brothers. On that day, my brother Alaa and I went up to the roof to charge our cell phones, unaware that this simple act would make us the only surviving members of our family. While on the roof, we watched in horror as a giant bomb targeted the house where we were sheltering, killing all our loved ones and severely injuring us both. We were barely rescued from under the rubble. Today, Alaa and I are the only surviving members of our family, coping with both physical and psychological injuries. We are working on healing, and I hope you consider donating to help us.

Here is our Full Story

Before the war, we were living happily in a small condo in West Gaza City. I was a dental student at Al-Azhar University, Alaa was studying engineering, and my late brother Ali was in his last year of high school. My two late sisters were prep engineers who ran a small business in architecture and interior design. We were a happy family, each with a bright future ahead—whether in business like my sisters Haya and Alaa or in school like me, Alaa, and Ali. However, when the war started, our lives were turned upside down.

On October 8, we became homeless as our entire area was forced to evacuate under heavy carpet bombardment by the Israeli occupation. Our story of constant displacement is beyond words; we went from being a happy family with a bright future to a family whose greatest hope is simply to survive. We were displaced over 13 times while in the north of Gaza. Our family was bombed twice—the first on November 16, when my late brother Ali, my sister Haya, and my mom were injured, forcing them to endure further displacement while wounded. The second bombing, on March 19, 2024, claimed the lives of my sisters Haya and Ola, my brother Ali, and my mom. Meanwhile, Alaa and I were left badly injured and in desperate need of medical attention.

After the massacre, I was lying in a hospital bed alongside my older brother Alaa, who had also sustained severe injuries, including skull fractures. I was forced to process the news of the continued loss of my loved ones, overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. My physical injuries, including a fractured pelvis and rib cage, left me bedridden and unable to walk. From the hospital, with the help of a friend, we began crowdfunding to raise enough funds to get us to Egypt for treatment and to continue our education. Thanks to your donations, we were able to make it.

On the road to Egypt:

On April 28, Alaa and I decided to begin our journey to Egypt after our names were approved at the Rafah crossing. Despite our injuries, we were forced to walk 7 kilometres along the way. Alaa walked while pushing me in a wheelchair since I was not well enough to walk due to my fractured pelvis and rib cage. The so-called “safe route” was terrifying, and we had to constantly worry about being killed by Israeli occupation forces or kidnapped, as many others had been. During the journey, soldiers detained Alaa for hours and asked strangers to push my wheelchair. While detained, Alaa was beaten by the soldiers, including blows to his head, despite his skull fracture. On May 1, we made it to Egypt safely and began receiving medical care; however, we still need more.

Thanks to your help, we are now safely in Egypt, in a place where we no longer have to worry about being bombed or forced to evacuate every few days. However, we still require significant medical attention. While I have physically returned to a semi-normal state, Alaa still needs two surgeries—one to implant a lens in his eye and another to repair the bone loss in his skull. We are both still suffering from the psychological trauma of what we've endured. To cover the costs of these medical procedures, university tuition, and living expenses, we need your continued support.

Financial Breakdown (in USD):

Total Amount Needed: $30,000

Evacuation from Gaza (via Hala company):

Hala: $5,000

Alaa: $5,000

Medical Treatment in Egypt: $10,000

Living and Attempting to Continue Education: $10,000

Note: The amount has been converted from USD to Canadian Dollars, given the location of the campaign. Therefore, the total amount in Canadian Dollars is $40,000.