Help me get my Palestinian-Irish family out of Gaza

Hi All

Im khalid El-Astal, 31 years old

I was born in Belfast while my father was doing his master's and PhD in Queen's University of Belfast, moved with my family to my hometown Gaza when i was 8 , to start my life with my 3 brothers.

Life in Gaza was not easy, actually, every simple and normal right was a challenge.

My Dad is a professor in physics, he is also the Deen of faculty of science in Al Aqsa university.

Me and my lovely wife Ashwak got married in 2018 . We have two adorable kids, Ali 4 and Sara 1.5 years . They were the whole life for me and for her.

It wasn't easy to take care of a family living in Gaza , its super difficult even to find a job.

So i moved to saudi arabia were i worked there for nearly one year, and was hoping to be reunited with them as soon as i can.

In the 7th of October 2023 , war in Gaza started, i was worried to death, thinking everyday of my family and friends.

Ashwak had a long journey of suffering, first leaving her family's place and sheltering in Al Quds hospital for a couple of days, then moving to her mom's uncle place in dair Al Balah staying there for two weeks before the place was bombed and it was a miracle that they survived for the first time and taken from under the rabble, in 22 Ashwak and my little kids, left to my family's place in Khanyounes, were i told Ashwak not to join her family, but to stay in my family place, since they have Internet and connection so i can contact her in any second to say that you can now go to the border to leave Gaza to Ireland.

Next day i was at work when my friend who was at the hospital with his injured dad. sent me a photos for my two injured kids, saying that they have bombed your family's place , and he's not sure yet who is dead and who is alive. And photo of my brother Abdullah 21 who was also injured badly and broke his neck.

All bad news came after that , when he told me first that your mother was killed, a long with your brother and my uncle's family.

Ashwak was terribly injured, she was totally burned.

No news in the world can be more painful, nothing can be compared to be far from your family, feeling helpless while they all need you the most.

On the 1st of November, i received a call from Ashwak's brother from the hospital, asking me to talk to her where she was screaming from pain and asking doctors for help.

Only 10 minutes after, she died. Leaving me and the kids , leaving me feeling the biggest pain in the world.

I arrived to Ireland two days later, feeling totally lost and desperate .i was welcomed here and supported from everyone, where i felt that i have a real family here .

i did everything to be reunited with my kids , t finally have them back to my arms again , by the help of my brother in law Mohammed who came with the kids from Gaza and still helping me taking care of them .

Now, My family in Gaza ( my two brothers, Abdullah 21 and Abdulrahman 25 ) who both are Irish citizens are suffering with my Dad, the loss of my mom and my brother Majed 29.

Whenever i had a chance to speak to my Dad i feel totally helpless and depressed. Knowing how much pain he feel loosing his wife and son , and watching my brother suffering everyday an unimaginable pain in his neck, and not being able to get any care.

My brothers are both dreamers and talented, Abdulrahman who is an accountant was the planning to start his master's soon. While Abdullah was working on his own small perfume business, however he is only 21.

They suffered a losses that nobody can deal with, not only loosing half of the family, but also loosing their home and moving more than three times to different places just to find a place to stay .

They now ended up staying in a tent near the sea in khanyounes, that can't save them from death or danger.

When i see now my Dad , i can really see a man who looks 10 years older only in the last 6 months.

It's a hard feeling when i call my dad every time, and just listen to him begging me to do something to take him out Gaza to a safe place. And that why im starting this fundraiser to help them leave Gaza joining me to Ireland, were the kids are waiting everyday to see their grandpa.

Life won't be normal or easy again, but saving what could be saved from my family is the most valuable thing i can think of.

All Kind of help is appreciated