Help Hozaifa's Family Survive In Gaza

Hozaifa Sheikh Khalil is an 18 year-old-boy remaining steadfast with his family in the north of Gaza, consisting of his mom, dad, two sisters, brother, sister-in-law, and his baby nephew. Before the war, he worked as a cook at the Italiano Restaurant in the beautiful Rimal neighborhood, described by Al Jazeera as “once the beating heart of the Gaza Strip.” He had his own apartment, which along with his family’s home, had been destroyed in Israeli carpet bombing campaigns. His friends, childhood love, and tens of family members have all been martyred since October 7th.

I am a musician and service industry worker located in New York City. Since connecting with Hozaifa in June 2024, we have successfully crowdfunded several mini-fundraisers to maintain his and his family’s survival, and most recently, a clean water project for his neighborhood of Shujaiya.

Hozaifa is generous, kind, and thoughtful, often taking to Instagram stories to detail his own thoughts about life in the north of Gaza and its neglect. Just a kid himself, he even bought things with which to cheer up the children and celebrate Eid Al-Adha in June 2024, a holiday typically marked with cheer, new clothes, feasts, and gifts for the little ones. In August, Hozaifa and I teamed up to raise money to provide water trucks for his neighbors in Shujaiya. While facing his own health problems that require expensive treatment he cannot currently afford, on top of famine in the north of Gaza, he first wanted to campaign to buy water for himself and his neighbors. From that sentence alone, you can imagine the type of person Hozaifa is and the clarity of his spirit.

The situation in the north of Gaza is especially dire, having been cut off from aid routes in the middle area and south of Gaza by the newly extended Netzarim Corridor. People have been eating leaves in an attempt to ward off death by starvation. In July 2024, Hozaifa received his first aid box in six months. While there is food to buy in the north, the prices are exorbitant for a population without stable housing and income.

With the Rafah Border Crossing being closed since May 2024, funds will be used for maintaining Hozaifa and his family’s lives in Shujaiya. The cost of food is $2-3k/month, medical treatment for his mother and baby nephew $1.5k/month, and rent $1.9k/month.

Once the Rafah Crossing reopens, funds will be used to evacuate Hozaifa and his family. For now, our goal is $30k, but this may change once we find out the cost of evacuation via Hala Travel and Tourism Company in Cairo, Egypt, which previously had been $2.5k/child and $5k/adult. Our goal may also be in flux based on Hozaifa and his family’s survival needs and associated costs.

Hozaifa and I invite you to kindly donate any amount large or small, and to follow our updates. With your support, we can help lighten Hozaifa’s burden of being in charge of supporting his family. With the people of Gaza being our guiding lights, we will honor them by answering their calls for support. You can follow Hozaifa here on Instagram .

Hozaifa distributing money and toys for Eid Al-Adha in June.

Hozaifa with some of his family members.

Amid the rubble, Hozaifa's face is still full of nour (light).

Hozaifa finds joy by making art.