Help Ibrahim get his family out of Gaza

My name is Deborah, and I’m a Canadian mother fundraising for a father who has been separated from his family.

We have set the total on the fundraiser to reflect the costs that will be needed to feed and evacuate 13 children and 8 adults, and to reflect the exchange rate from CAD to USD as the fees are charged in USD.

Ibrahim shares his story below:

I am Ibrahim Al-Sabaa, and my heart goes out to my wife, Firdaus, and our little son, Adam. My mother, Hiyam, is suffering from a stroke that has led to immobility. With the help of our friend, Deb Stockwell, who lives in Canada, we will make her our beneficiary to support our campaign.

Our lives in northern Gaza were shattered 6 months ago, and my life took a dramatic turn when I was diagnosed with a serious immune system disorder, necessitating urgent intravenous biological treatment. My quest for survival took me to Ramallah in the West Bank - I left Gaza two days before the war, isolating me from my family. I was unable to reunite with my son, my wife, and my mother. My wife told me that our beautiful house was completely destroyed and there was no place for us to live. Our highest ambitions have become a tent.

I also want to explain my illness, and to provide some details about the disease. I suffer from ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory disease that may cause the fusion of some of the bones (vertebrae) of the spine over time. 

This fusion makes the spine less flexible and may lead to a curvature of the body. If the ribs are injured, it may be difficult to breathe deeply. Early signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis may include: Pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Neck pain and fatigue are also common symptoms. Over time, your symptoms may worsen, improve, or stop intermittently. 

The most commonly affected areas are: the joint between the base of the spine and the pelvis the vertebrae in the lower back places where tendons and ligaments meet bones, especially in the spine, but sometimes along the back of the heel (heel of the foot) the cartilage between the chest bones and ribs Hip and shoulder joints where I receive doses of a biologic (infliximab). On a monthly basis, treatment must continue for life. This treatment is not available in Gaza. never. So I was transferred to Ramallah. Now I have been transferred again to Egypt, separated from my family as I undergo treatment.

My wife and I were optimistic lawyers who dreamed of building a life together. We had dreams of starting our careers and owning a joint law firm. But now those dreams and ambitions are in the rubble at home.

My sincere desire is to make a new beginning in Europe, to provide a decent life for my family. I am desperate to move my family out of the turmoil in Gaza, fearing the possibility of losing them. I am begging for any help to help them escape the horrors of war. They live in fear, fighting hunger and extreme cold. My son has been exposed to horrific realities that no child should ever face, and my mother has been exposed to turmoil and her illness has worsened due to the lack of any treatments for her in Gaza. In this case, I feel exhausted from feeling helpless and hopeless. Any financial assistance, no matter how modest, would be greatly appreciated in these difficult times.

In order to cross the border, Ibrahim must pay Hala as follows:

For example it is Hala must pay $5,000 for travel coordination for adults. They number 8 people. It is equal to 40,000. And also $2500 for children and non-adults, numbering 13. One person, which is equal to $32,000. He also mentioned the travel and housing expenses, as we need 4 apartments in Egypt, the rent of which is $500 per month, as well as a maximum of $2,000 for food and beverage expenses during a period of at least 3 months for each family, so the total amount is $82,000. American dollar. It is equal to $115,000 Canadian dollars.

Ibrahim is hoping to evacuate his family, who consists of: 

Three brothers- 

Marwan, his wife and 3 children 

Muhammad, his wife and 5 children 

Ahmed, his wife and 4 children 

Ibrahim’s wife, Fardous, and his 22 month old son Adam 

His mother, Heyam