Help me & my Family Evacuate from Gaza

My name is Retaj Abuabdo, I was born in Gaza and have lived here my entire life.

This year, I was supposed to graduate from high school and start my undergraduate studies in September.

Now, I am living with my family and 3 other families in an apartment in Rafah (29 people in a two-bedroom apartment).

My childhood home in central Gaza was destroyed, so was the apartment we moved to after that.

My family’s only source of income, a beautiful sea-side restaurant and wedding hall, was destroyed.

I am in Gaza with my parents, my two younger brothers, my older sister, her husband, and their 2-year-old daughter.

My sister and her family also lost their house and their jobs. We were all displaced together and we are now sharing a room with one other family.

I am starting this GoFundMe to get myself and my family out of Gaza. We have lost our homes, our livelihood, and our neighbors. We do not want to lose our lives.

Before the war, my mother made sure we all ate well and stayed healthy, now, I cannot remember the last day where none of us were sick.

We did not imagine ourselves leaving Gaza like this, however, the current situation is worse than all of the wars we’ve witnessed before.

Please help us reach our goal.

Each donation could make a difference.

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NOTE from the organizer, Kirin Christianson:

12 Years ago, we volunteered to host a foreign exchange student, Sawsan from the West Bank. She was given a scholarship to attend a Catholic High School in Scottsdale, AZ.

My kids attended different schools in town, so picking up and dropping off kids was crazy for me that year - LOL!

She came to live with us in the US through the YES program.

She became our daughter that year. We love her and have kept in touch with her and her family. In the past few years, she's lost both of her parents to cancer.

She has siblings. But other than that, her aunt, and cousins in Gaza are the only family she now has left.

I tell you this so you know that I will make sure the funds go to her family so they can safely evacuate to Egypt. The letter written is from her cousin, Retaj.

If you can help my 'daughter's family, I would be grateful. Every penny helps.

Thank you, and God Bless!