Help Gaza siblings evacuate to safety

Hello everyone,

My name is Maria, and I am sharing my story with you with a broken heart.

I am currently in Gaza. My brother Ali and I are holding on to each other, feeling pain and fear as we listen to the endless bombing around us.

I wish you could know me the way my friends know me. They know that I’m a passionate and open-minded person who loves to sing and play guitar, and most importantly who works hard to make a positive impact on my community. Even before this current war started, we had no way to leave Gaza. But now, we have to find a way out— our lives are more in danger with each passing moment.

Just before the war began, I was preparing to start the fourth year of my dental degree at the Al Azhar University Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Unfortunately, my school has been bombed, and the classrooms where I used to study are destroyed. I hoped to continue my education and be able to help others in Gaza, but now those are just broken dreams.

Al-Azhar University after October 7th

My brother Ali is also a dentist— he just graduated dental school. As soon as he finished his degree, he returned to Gaza, hoping to practice dentistry and support the people of Gaza. But the clinic where he worked was demolished by an Israeli air force strike. Like me, Ali can’t imagine finding a way to continue his work here in the near future.

My brother and I dream of contributing to the medical field, supporting our loved ones, friends and family, and being part of the amazing community of medical practitioners working in Gaza. We feel the only way this can happen is by evacuating to safety in Egypt until we can pursue our passion once again. My brother and I have worked for years to learn a profession that helps keep others safe and healthy— and now we need your help to keep ourselves safe.

I am humbly asking for your support during this devastating time. I wouldn’t ask for your help unless I knew that this was our only option. Evacuating Gaza through the Rafah border via the Egyptian coordination company Hala will cost us $6,000 - $10,000 per person. Our uncle Nabil will collect all of the donations in Germany and transfer the money to us once in Egypt. We hope to join our friends and relatives already in Egypt, but we cannot hope to do so without your generous support. Once in Egypt, Ali plans to work in dentistry while Maria finishes her degree, and we will work to save enough money to bring our parents to safety in Egypt.

We will forever remember your contribution during the most challenging time of our lives, and are grateful for any contribution you can make. Please share our names and stories with your friends and loved ones,

With love and gratitude,

Maria and Ali