Help the Abo Samra Family Rebuild Their Home in Gaza

Update:

As many of you know, a ceasefire went into effect last month, greatly reducing the level of bombardment in the Gaza Strip. Samer and his family were able to go back to the ruins of their former home in central North Gaza.

Another video from Samer's destroyed home:

The money raised will now go to help Samer rebuild his family home in Gaza and pay for his mother's cancer treatment.

Note for transparency: This is the story of Samer and his family. My name is Eli, I live in America, and I am a good friend of Samer. Due to the catastrophic situation in Gaza, he is trying to do everything he can to survive for his family and himself. I am running this page for him. Together we ask for your support.

Samer in Khan Younis, accompanied by the constant noise of the occupation drones and the random bombing from warplanes

Samer and his family's story

Hello, I am Samer and I am a photographer and sports journalist from Gaza. I am 26 years old. My family and I have been displaced from Gaza City for a year to Khan Younis and before that Rafah and we live in tents in very difficult conditions. My family consists of four daughters and four brothers, and my father and mother. I started this campaign to raise funds for the survival of my family, so that one day we can work towards a livable future again, after this terrifying nightmare is over.

Samer with his sister Lian and brother Ahmed displaced in Khan Younis

On the morning of October 7th, I woke up to get ready to go to work, then I heard explosions. I specialized in Sharia and law and also in sports journalism, and I loved photography very much and I had big dreams of being a great lawyer and at the same time an international photographer, but the beginning of the war and everything became like a nightmare. Before the war, I had a very beautiful life and I worked with more than one sports agency in Gaza, and before that I worked in more than one sports media agency in Egypt and I used to photograph big players like Mohamed Salah, Mane, Elneny and many stars. My dream was to photograph many stars as well and photograph international tournaments as well and make my family happy who always supported me, but when the war came and we were forced to leave everything behind, I lost my entire house due to the bombing. We lost our beautiful life and were forced to move to more than one place, including Rafah and finally Khan Younis, and we live in difficult conditions (the feeling of losing your home in the blink of an eye and losing all your belongings and clothes and becoming homeless kills you with oppression). Also, the internet networks were damaged and communication became very difficult.

My life and my family's were beautiful, but displacement makes life really difficult. Work has become almost impossible. At the beginning of the war, we had some money, but we did not know that the war would last this long and now we have nothing left. Of course, like everyone else, our family's house in our old neighborhood was completely bombed and all we have left are memories! In order to survive, I try to work and create any source of income, but living under these conditions, tension and bombing everywhere, I cannot focus on work.

I still have big dreams in the field of photography, and before that I participated in filming several championships in Egypt. I have great ambition to work and participate in covering and filming championships around the world. Your support and my family will help me get out of this big prison. Throughout our lives we have never wanted help from anyone in terms of money or anything else, but now we are no longer ashamed because we really need it and we live in a very bad situation. I love my country very much. But for the sake of the future I have to leave because there is no life here. I have lost my passion for these events, but there is still hope for the future.

My mother's suffering with cancer

In addition to everything we are suffering from because of the war, my mother was recently diagnosed with cancer. Her health condition is very bad, and she needs intensive treatment that requires high costs that we cannot afford under these difficult circumstances. The treatment my mother needs is not available in Gaza, so she needs to travel abroad to receive appropriate treatment.

The costs associated with my mother's treatment include expensive medications, treatment sessions that may include chemotherapy and radiation, in addition to the costs of travel and accommodation abroad. We estimate that these costs will be far beyond our capabilities, which is why we are asking for your help. We live in conditions that do not allow us to secure this type of treatment, and my mother's health condition is deteriorating day by day, which increases our urgent need for support.

Without this treatment, her life is in danger. We are looking for humanitarian assistance that will allow us to save her life and give her the chance to live again away from the pain and suffering she is going through now. Treatment reports at the bottom of the page

I hope everyone can see my story and the story of my family by helping and supporting us! We will be very happy!

This camera is one of the few things I was able to save from my work and home. I wear a press jacket, and I am afraid to wear it, because the occupation specifically targets and kills journalists. I look forward to traveling to achieve my dreams and ambitions and help my family.

We really miss the beautiful days before the war (Note: The original video in perfect quality is not available)

If you want to see life in Palestine and Gaza, please visit my Instagram account: My Instagram account

With love,

Samar Wa3a

Samer’s house after it was destroyed: