Help Hamed evacuate Gaza & Rebuild with his family

Note of transparency: this is the story of Hamed and his family. My name is Merel, living in the Netherlands, and I am a good friend of Hamed. Due to the disastrous situation in Gaza, he is trying to do whatever he can for the survival of his family and himself. I am running this page for him. Together we are asking for your support.

Hamed in Rafah, accompanied by the constant noise of the occupational drones

Story of Hamed and his family

Hello, I am Hamed and I am a filmmaker from Gaza. I am 22 years old. My family and me are displaced within the Gaza Strip and we are living in very difficult and challenging conditions. My family consists of my two younger sisters, my two younger brothers and my father and mother. I am starting this fundraiser for the survival of my family, so that one day we can work towards a livable future again, after this nightmare is over.

Hamed with his sisters Julia and Jana displaced in Rafah

On the morning of October 7, I woke up to prepare for my graduation party, but then there were the sounds of explosions. I majored in multimedia and I have big dreams in my field of filmmaking. However, it was the start of the war and everything became like a nightmare. Before the war, I was living a very beautiful life and I had projects and clients from different countries of the world. I just started my video production company and my team and I were very happy. But when the war came and we had to leave everything behind, I lost my whole studio because of the bombing. We had to leave to other places and we are living in displacement, the Internet networks became damaged and communications became very difficult.

My family and me had a beautiful life, but displacement makes life really difficult. We have become displaced at least six times and displacement does not stop. This all is what caused me to lose clients that I had been working with for years. It has become almost impossible to work. At the beginning of the war we had some money, but we did not know the war was going to be so long and now we have nothing left. Our family house is badly damaged due to heavy bombing in our old neighborhood and only memories are left! In order to survive, I try to work as I did before, but living with these conditions, tension and bombing everywhere, I cannot focus on work.

Nothing left but a refugee camp, Rafah

Still I have big dreams in my field of filmmaking, and before I participated in an international film in London. I have a great ambition to work and participate in films around the world. Your support will help me and my family get out of this big prison. All our lives we didn't want help from anyone in terms of money or anything else, but now we are not ashamed anymore because we really need it and we live in a very bad situation. I love my country very much. But for the sake of the future I must leave because there is no life here. I lost my passion for these events, but there is still hope for the future.

I hope everyone and everyone who sees the story of my family and me can help and support us! We will be so happy!

This camera is one of the only things from work I could save. The press vest I don't wear anymore, I am scared to wear it, as the occuption specifically targets and kills people of the press. I'm looking forward to traveling for my dreams, ambitions and helping my family.

We really miss the beautiful days from before the war (note: original video with optimal quality not accessible)

If you want to see life in Palestine, Gaza, please visit my Instagram: My Instagram account

Love,

Hamed, his family, and Merel