Help Ali and his family escape South Gaza

Hello, my name is Derek Hoot, I am a wheelchair basketball player currently living in Virginia who is trying to help a fellow wheelchair basketball player who I met while studying abroad in Amman, Jordan in 2017-2018. I am collecting donations to help my friend, Ali Jibril and his siblings, Tareq and Rima, escape the war in Gaza.

Before the war, Ali and his family lived in the Al Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza, where he worked in hospitality, volunteered with the Red Cross, and played wheelchair basketball with Al Salam Club. After his home was destroyed, Ali fled south with his family. They now live in a tent on the streets of Rafah, near the Egyptian border.

Before the war, Ali playing wheelchair basketball with his team.

Ali and his sister Rima during recent times.

Ali is 27 years old and uses a wheelchair, due to a car accident in 2002, but still helps take care of his elderly mother and father who are also wheelchair-bound, as well as his sister who is in her forties and is visually impaired. Navigating Rafah with a wheelchair is challenging, especially as a rainy winter sets in and make-shift camps are reduced to mud. Although Gaza is their home, Ali's family is seeking refugee status in order to leave Gaza and live a better life.

In recent weeks, life in Rafah has become increasingly unsustainable, with thousands of other displaced Palestinians pouring in from the north, and extortionate prices being attached to basic needs like flour and vegetables.

Remnants of their home.

Ali’s sister, Rima during recent times.

Tareq is 32 years old and even while subjected to displacement, fear, uncertainty, and loss - he manages to give back to his community and those in need as much as he possibly can. Tareq regularly receives money from a mutual aid group and distributes fresh food, water, baby diapers, baby formula, clothing, hygiene kits, medicine, and tents. He constantly risks his life (miraculously surviving artillery shelling while collecting cash) to support those in need and never turns away an opportunity to help. Even in his difficult circumstances, he manages to give back to the less fortunate as much as possible. It is time that we give back to them and prioritize him and his family.

Ali’s brother, Tareq during recent times.

Carrying out a Children’s Eid Festival in June 2024

Tareq, before the war.

Brother Rami

Ali and sister Naseem

Ali’s Father

Tareq and his father

I have found legal assistance to help Ali Jebril and his family apply for humanitarian asylum in the United States. However, this process takes an average of two years. Therefore, while his family are applying, it is their safest option to pay a travel agency Ya Hala $5k per person to cross into Egypt. While this is price-gouged and by no means just, it is the only way to ensure that Ali and his family leave Rafah in time. Currently, food and water are scarce and contaminated, causing rampant hepatitis. And, Israeli strikes have already targeted Rafah and the outlying areas. Please help Ali raise money for his family to escape Gaza.

A breakdown of what we are currently raising funds for

Travel costs to Egypt for:

Ali: $5,000

Tareq (brother): $5,000

Rima (sister): $5,000

Living Expenses in Cairo for first 3 months:

Ali, Rima, and Tareq: $5,000

Living Expenses (2 months) whilst currently displaced in Gaza:

Ali, Rima, Tareq, & Parents: $5,000

Living expenses (2 months) for siblings and their respective families displaced in Gaza:

Ahmed (brother): $2,000

Ramy (brother): $2,000

Nada (sister): $2,000

Naseem (sister): $2,000

Fawzia (sister): $2,000

GoFundMe transaction fees (2.9%): $1,000

Statement from Ali:

Hello.. I am Ali Jibril, 27 years old.. a basketball player in a wheelchair for the physically disabled at Al-Salam Club in Gaza. I am now displaced in the city of Rafah and live in a tent with my blind sister, my disabled father and mother (both in wheelchairs), and my brother. I suffer a lot as a person with special needs in the tent, especially in going to the bathroom and also using a wheelchair on the sand, as I cannot move easily on the sand. When there is bombing, I cannot escape alone, and I must wait for my brother to come and escape with me. I became a helpless person after being a successful athlete. There is also my blind sister, Rima, who faces many difficulties in living in the tent, especially since she needs a lot of requirements to live, especially someone to help her meet her needs, and she needs blood pressure treatment. When bombing occurs, my sister feels panicked and afraid. She always tells us that she feels that death is close to her because She may not be able to escape in time. We wish to live in peace, safety, and security.

This is their only chance to escape a life of fear and insecurity. Your donation could be the lifeline that gives them a fresh start and hope for a safe future. Please consider giving today to make a life-changing difference for this family. Thank you for your compassion.

Note: Funds will be collected and sent via Western Union for cash pick-up, then used to pay the travel agency to cross.