Gaza escape fund: help Islam & family flee to safety

Hi my name is Amal Puri, a UK medical student. I am raising money for my friend Islam (24), a biomedical engineer, and her mother (60) and sister (22) to evacuate from Gaza to safety. Gofundme has limited country options for bank accounts. Islam has asked me to set up the account on her behalf. She texts:

"Unfortunately, No one in Gaza is safe".

"I haven't seen my home for 180 days

And we have fled ten times

Dying is the only thing that yet to happen"

I met Islam through a language exchange programme in 2020, when she was studying biomedical engineering. Islam is now a graduated engineer, and had employment with a top Palestinian medical equipment company, Arfaloon.

Text from Islam 21/07/21: I’m good, I had started my training in the hospital on the first day of July...I have learned a lot about medical devices, it’s completely different from learning things in the books

Islam taught me basic Arabic and I helped her with English for a competitive study abroad programme application. Whilst she was successful in application and interview, Israeli apartheid rules stopped Islam from leaving Gaza to obtain a visa. Islam taught herself German and Turkish and Italian, and is deeply motivated to see the world and contribute to making biomedical technology more accessible. Alongside her biomedical work, Islam is a senior leader with Tomorrow’s Women Organisation in Ramallah.

Islam and her mother on her graduation day^

Islam, her younger sister and mother have been displaced since October 2023. They have had to leave their father and brother in northern Gaza, and have fled ten different refuges in that time. . She has not seen home in 180 days. Islam describes the experience as her worst nightmare. She has lost her baby cousins aged three and five, killed by an air strike. Her family home, workplace and fiance’s house have all been destroyed.

Islam’s family home^

Funding Calculation

We are fundraising to help Islam and her family reach a place of safety, where they are not in constant danger. The funds are for permits to leave Gaza and cross to Egypt, where they will then hope to get a longer visa and employment in Turkey or Italy where they have family.

The company that controls exit out of Gaza has a high and varying cost to leave Gaza. Currently these stand at $7000.

We have calculated:

3*7000 US dollars for fees (which are subject to increase)

5000 US dollars for accommodation and visa expenses

This totals to £20,500 GBP

Our goal for now is £20,000.

Any donation will go far. Please share the link, especially with folk close to you. If you have suggestions on boosting the fundraiser please message; we're hoping to reach our goal ASAP as the situation worsens.

Accountability

If for any reason the GFM / plan cannot continue or prices for permits drop significantly, I will refund the donations. Otherwise, all the money will go to Islam and her family, as administration and travel costs are high and unpredictable.

If you want to ask me or Islam any questions please do contact me, I can pass on the questions.

I’m unwilling to post more identifying details about myself in this context, but please message me if you have any uncertainty and want to verify the fundraiser.

Thank you for your generosity.