Help save my family from death in Gaza

Hello, my name is Israa Mahdi, and I am a Canadian-Palestinian residing in Canada. I am reaching out with a heavy heart, asking for your urgent help for my family in Gaza, who are currently enduring unimaginable hardship. They have been through horrifying experiences, witnessing destruction, loss of life, and severe suffering among many families, friends, and neighbors.

My uncle’s family, consisting of 14 individuals, including 6 children, has been forced to flee under constant bombardment. They relocated to the southern part of Gaza on October 14th, 2023, leaving behind everything they knew and loved. Their homes in northern Gaza were burned down, and their neighborhood was reduced to rubble. They have since been displaced in areas like Khan Younis, Dair-albalah, and Almawasi, constantly moving in search of safety, but it seems there is no escape from the violence.

Months of displacement have left them scattered between Rafah and Almawasi, both places under constant threat. Their family business, which dealt with water and solar power, was destroyed, and they have lost their primary source of income. Now, they face a dire reality of homelessness, hunger, and lack of access to even basic necessities such as clean water, medicine, and employment.

The entire Gaza Strip is unsafe, and the risks to their health are growing as they are forced to drink unsafe water. Every day is a struggle to survive, and the constant fear of violence makes it impossible to plan for tomorrow.

In an effort to protect them, I am working on arranging their evacuation to a safer place, with hopes of bringing them to Canada through the government’s temporary visa program for family members of Canadians in conflict zones. However, there are significant financial challenges. The Canadian government does not provide any financial assistance for evacuees, meaning the entire burden is on us. This includes covering travel costs, accommodation in Cairo during the paperwork process, flight tickets for all 14 family members, and their initial settlement expenses in Canada.

The cost of getting them to safety is overwhelming. Each person’s evacuation costs approximately $7,000 CAD, plus an additional $1,300 CAD for airfare and $1,000 CAD for expenses in Cairo. This amounts to approximately $10,300 CAD per person, and a total of $144,200 CAD for the entire family.

Time is of the essence. Every moment without intervention puts them at greater risk. Communication with my family is already difficult due to damaged telecommunication infrastructure, which only heightens my concern for their safety.

I cannot express enough how urgent and crucial your support would be. My family’s situation is a true emergency, and your help can make the difference between life and death for them. In these trying times, your compassion could offer them a glimmer of hope and a chance at a new beginning away from violence and destruction.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to listen to my family’s story. Your support will not only provide them with a safe refuge but will also stand as a testament to the shared humanity and solidarity that bind us all together. Together, we can give them the opportunity to rebuild their lives and escape the horrors they are facing every single day.

Thank you for your understanding, kindness, and generosity.