Help Haytham's Family Survive and Rebuild

Hello, my name is Jenny and I am from the United States. I am helping my friend Haytham and his family during this devastating humanitarian crises. This story has been dictated to me by Haytham. Meet Haytham

I am a 37 year old barber and business owner from Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip. I am married to the love of my life, 33 year old Haifa Aboshafa. Haifa is kind and an amazing mother.

We have 3 beautiful, vibrant, fun, and intelligent children.

Diab is 9 years old. Diab is intelligent and he loves school, studying, especially mathematics. He loved mathematics. He is well loved and had many friends. Diab's ambition is to become a senior engineer.

Nawal is 7 years old. Nawal is a beautiful and intelligent child with a great ambition to become a doctor. She loved practical subjects She has big dreams that I hope will come true in the future

Sedra is almost 4 years old. She loves to play, but has spent almost a quarter of her life in devastating wartime conditions. She cries all the time from the fatigue of our lifestyle and the pain of constant hunger and thirst.

I had my own barber shop where I loved working in the beauty industry, making a comfortable living for my family. We enjoyed a simple life where my family is my priority and motivation. We were happy and we loved each other.

The war had displaced my family along with all of my 11 siblings (8 brothers and 3 sisters). We have 44 children amongst us all. My brother Shaheed was martyred 15 days ago, leaving 3 babies that I am also helping to raise now.

We have lost everything. Our homes and businesses have been bombed along with 80% of the Gaza Strip. I have lost my life's savings and all my worldly possessions. Thank God, my family's lives have been spared.

It has been 319 days since the beginning of this conflict and we are surrounded by death, destruction, starvation, fear, and depression. We have been forced to live under extremely harsh conditions in smothering tents.

Humanitarian aid has been reduced to 11%, creating a catastrophic crises for Palestinians. There is a lack of clean drinking water and it is very expensive to buy water. Water costs $30 for a daily supply and we wait in line for hours to get our rations.

The weather here in the desert is stifling hot reaching 48 Celsius or 118 Fahrenheit with high humidity. We do not have access to healthy food and my children are suffering. Their daily routine comprises of waking up from the heat or conflict and going out to help search for food or water. It breaks my heart that my 3 year old baby is forging for survival. The Israeli drones are nonstop flying over us and it does not give our minds a moment's rest. We do not have any reprieve.

Food, water, and basic survival supplies are scarce and have become very expensive. My only source of income and livelihood has been destroyed and I have become humbled. I am imploring you to help me care for my family and my brother's children. Please consider giving to help me and my family survive this war. Wartime economy has increased beyond regular inflation and it takes $50 to feed my family just one meal.

As for my house, it has been blown away by the winds, as it was completely bulldozed by the occupation and is now just a memory. My house was my home, my safe place, full of memories, emotions and events. We celebrated birthdays, played with and taught children. Our lives were simple but we dreamed big for our future. Now, we have been frozen in a nightmare for over 9 months and are still suspended.

My children always ask me about the possibility of returning home, and about their toys that were buried by the Israeli bulldozers. We no longer have anything but our lives, which we want to preserve by all means.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about me, my family, and our story. Please be a part of our story and help us live another day in Gaza. Please contribute by donating to my family for our daily survival and we pray that one day, we can flee the Gaza Strip, seek safe refuge, and eventually build our lives again.

Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you and may Allah bless you.