Help my grandparents to evacuate Gaza

Hello everyone,

My name is Mohanad Abuowda, I am a 20 year old Palestinian born in Gaza. I have been living in Ireland for the past 6 years since 2018.

I am writing this to depict the current situation in Gaza through my family’s eyes.

Both of my grandparents -68 year old and 66 year old- are suffering from hypertension and diabetes and we’re trying our best to get them to escape the torture and suffering of the war impact on them. I spent a lot of time exploring various options to support my family and after careful consideration, I’ve come to realise that it is the only and last hope to save my family from the war suffering and to rebuild a bright safe future for them.

This is the 5th month of the war on Gaza and now the Israeli army is invading the last safe zone in Gaza Strip (Rafah) and all my family are staying in a tint there.

My family is reaching out for a survival—a chance to escape the harrowing circumstances of war and conflict to build a future filled with promise, safety, and hope. This is not just a plea for help; it's a call for collective compassion and solidarity. Living in constant fear, uncertainty, not knowing if you will still live tomorrow, is a burden no human can live with. Imagine losing everything you have ever possessed, your house, your family, your city, your source of income, your people,.. . This is the reality for my family. Their dreams of a peaceful future have been shattered, but hope persists.

Personally I experienced the fear and the terror of wars as I lived in Gaza for 15 years before moving here to Dublin, I was there with my family in 2008, 2012 and 2014 wars, and I can’t explain how terrifying and dangerous it is for a young kid to live through this experience when they’re meant to have a normal life just like any other.

My mother and baby sister -a year old- traveled back to Gaza on the 4th October for my uncle’s wedding and ended up being stuck in Gaza since the war started on 7th October for 48 days living under airstrikes and bombardment before we could have the opportunity to bring them back home in Dublin.

My mother’s experience:

Hello my name is Nisreen Abuowda, I am 43 year old Palestinian from Gaza, I went back home for a visit on the 4th October for my brother’s wedding, I stayed 48 days in Gaza under rockets, bombardment and airstrikes. my house was bombed and put to rubble in Gaza city after I flee to Khanyounis where my bigger family is, me and my one year old daughter were forced to leave after extremely traumatic circumstances of bombing and shooting in the north of Gaza.

My apartment before:

my apartment after:

I left Gaza with half my heart in it and the other half with my kids in Ireland where I went back to, it was one of the hardest decisions I had to be put through as my parents, sisters and brothers had to stay behind while I still needed to get back with my family in Ireland. Due to unfortunate circumstances at that time I couldn’t help my family to leave Gaza with me.

RTE Article

Independent Article

My family was forced to evacuate Khanyounis due to the bombing and the invasion of the IDF military in Khanyounis city, The constant threat of bombs falling and violence made it impossible for them to stay, they needed to seek refuge elsewhere. They’re now seeking shelter in a tiny tint in Rafah City-south of Gaza- under horrible living conditions filled with hunger, bitter cold and health concerning diseases, they have access to nothing but uncontaminated water which can be life threatening for weak immune systems.

A breakdown of estimated costs:

Evacuation fees/Egyptian coordination: €8000 per adult, Total of €16000 for both my grandparents (Considering current evacuation fees and coordination expenses at the Egyptian border).

Visa application fees: €250 per person (a total of €500 for both my grandparents)

Transportation to Rafah Crossing: €400 for both.

Flight from Cairo to destination "One way" : €350 per person (a total of €700 for both)

Living costs until the fly out (approximately 3months): total of €3000.

GoFundMe Fee: €580 (Approximately 2.9% of each donation, covering the platform’s fee).

Total of: 21,200 euros

Your support, weather a small donation or sharing it around will make a significant difference for both of my grandparents and it would mean the world for them and us. جزاكم الله خيراً