Help Loai's Desperate Family Survive in Gaza

My name is Abby Brockman and I’m a Jewish chaplain facilitating this GoFundMe to help my Palestinian friend Loai’s family who are trapped in Gaza.

Loai is 24 years old, from Khan Yunis, currently seeking asylum in Europe. I met him in February 2024 through a rabbi's unofficial long time efforts to support families in Gaza. Loai had left Gaza by then, surviving the scary journey across land and sea, and made it to Greece. But since only relatives can wire money into Gaza, I would send him funds and he would transfer them to his elderly parents, eight siblings, and 14 nieces and nephews still under Israel's brutal and unrelenting assault.

While he was all alone in an impossible situation, trying to survive as a refugee and somehow support his family in an active war zone, I knew from the first time we talked on Facebook Messenger video chat that he was special.

His smile lit up the screen. He laughed constantly and somehow found joy every day. In spite of his difficult situation, he always asked about my parents, wondered if I had eaten enough that day, and included me and my family in his daily prayers. I never felt like I could do enough for him but he was always so expressive about his appreciation and gratitude. I was impressed by his sincerity, kindness, generosity of spirit, and resilience. He somehow would end up lifting MY spirits.

Me and Loai, talking over many months. I thought I was supporting him but his friendship and spirit have been a gift in my life.

His capacity to care for others never ceases to amaze me.

I didn’t know how I could best help but I just tried to be there for him. We talked when he’d wander late at night along the beach searching for answers. We talked when he lost his housing and had to live on the street. We talked after long days at work when he finally found work in a hotel. We talked when he found out there was support for refugees in Belgium and decided to make the journey. We talked when he was stuck in train stations, lost in new streets, and then when we miraculously found him housing with an amazing Jewish family committed to Palestinian liberation who has lovingly and generously welcomed him into their family.

But while he is now physically safe, his family in Gaza are in increasing danger. We can’t evacuate them because the Rafah border is closed but are raising money for life-saving food, baby formula, tent supplies for shelter, and solar panels for electricity. Prices are exorbitant because supply is so low.

Please read Loai’s story below, in his own words, and consider donating $5, $10, $20 or more. I've been sending money to Gaza for months and will ensure it reaches his two elderly parents (Samira and Ismail), eight siblings (Mohammed, Abedallah, Ahmed, Rami, Walaa, Eman, Rola, and Tasneen), and their 14 children (Loai's nieces and nephews).

While none of us can help everyone when the need is so overwhelming, I hope we can collectively make a difference for my friend and his family.

Thank you so much,

Abby

—

Hello, my name is Loai.

I am a nursing student from Gaza City where I grew up in a loving home. I have a family consisting of four brothers (Mohammed, Abedallah, Ahmed, and Rami) and four sisters (Walaa, Eman, Rola, and Tasneen) and their 14 kids. Our parents gave us the best they could and despite growing up in difficult conditions, they encouraged us to love life, goodness for people, and to follow our dreams.

Loai and a classmate, both studying to be nurses.

I wanted to become a nurse but had to cut my studies short when I could no longer afford the tuition. It felt like I had no future in Gaza so I made the difficult decision to leave and try to pursue a better life. As fate would have it, I left a week before October 7, 2023. I went over land to Turkey and by sea to Greece, making the dangerous journey. It was scary and I felt all alone in the world.

But it became even more difficult when this war started and I had to watch what my family was going through. We’ve always been the helpers–during the COVID-19 pandemic, I had helped out in our hospital and with local humanitarian efforts. At the beginning of the war when Palestinians were fleeing from the north, my parents took many of them in and provided food and shelter. But soon, they were forced to flee and are now the ones who need help.

Their home, neighborhood, and communal buildings where they've sheltered have all been destroyed.

Our house, which we inherited from our grandfather 35 years ago and we all grew up in, has been completely destroyed. My family were forced to flee to the Bani Suhaila Boys School during the first invasion of Khan Yunis. When that was bombed, 37 people were killed and many of my family members were injured, including my nephew who lost his eyesight from flying shrapnel and his brother who had burns over most of his body. They all soon relocated to shelter at Naser Medical Center where they lived in a nylon tent in the courtyard.

Loai's father cooking in the tent. All of their belongings in bags.

But tanks soon advanced to the hospital and surrounded it. They were under siege for more than two weeks without enough food or safety. When Israeli forces again made them leave, they took an 18-hour journey by foot to Rafah.

Again, they managed to pitch a tent for shelter. During this time, my sister gave birth. But she was so malnourished, and her baby has been so malnourished, that it became too impossible to take care of her. When I spoke with my elderly mom this week, I saw she had lost her teeth from malnourishment. It's hard to even write about what has happened to them; I can't comprehend it.

One of his brothers; his niece and nephew.

But my family were just forced by Israeli soldiers to flee again, leaving behind their tent and everything they had. They now have nothing and their situation is truly unimaginable. There is limited food, medicine, diapers, formula, and it’s nearly impossible to obtain fuel for heating or cooking–and everything is so expensive because aid trucks haven't been allowed in.

So I’m desperately trying to raise money to help them survive, especially the cold winter months that are coming, while praying everyday for this war to end.

I feel like there is so little I can do from so far away but I need to try my best. Thank you so much helping me.

Loai, finally safe in Belgium with an amazing host family. In spite of his smile, his pain is never far behind.