Help Walid and family escape the horrors of Gaza!

Update about the fundraiser being closed

We are unfortunately having some issues with this fundraiser. We are therefore forced to close it down. We have opened a brand new one:

https://chuffed.org/project/117140-help-walids-cat-shelter

It is with great pain that I have to take a huge step back from this fundraiser.

It was a heart-warming experience and you are wonderful people. Thank you all so much for your support!

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We are so happy and grateful you all helped to reach the original goal of €34.500. We are going to help 8 people and 2 cats escape! We have raised the goal because they still need support once they arrive. I will summarize below:

In Egypt

Gazans are not allowed to work in Egypt. :( Neither Walid nor his wife Ishraq can make their own income. So they will need support for:

The kids won’t be able to go to school soon. They can’t wait to learn again, so it would be wonderful for them to have a few ways to be home schooled in the meantime.

The cats

There are a lot of heartbreaking elements to the Herez family leaving. Imagine needing to flee your own country, your own house, having to leave your cats… The cat shelter will be run by others. As stated before, Walid’s little brother will take care of them, together with Walid’s friend Ahmed Siddiqi whom some of you might already know through X. Walid has mentioned him there before, as Ahmed has been helping him with the cat shelter for some years now.

They will need to buy cat food for the cats in the shelter and the strays on the streets. Both Walid’s brother and Ahmed are determined to stay behind. As confident as this decision might be, it is of course an excruciatingly painful one. I can’t imagine the goodbyes being anything but gutting.

Mahmoud

Some of you might also know Walid’s brother-in-law Mahmoud Salam as @‌helpAnimalXxx on X. He is a good friend of Walid and has taken care of stray animals his entire life. He will help with the cats. It will be comforting to meet up with friends who miss the Herez family too. In contrast to Ahmed and Walid’s brother, Mahmoud desperately wants to leave Gaza. We hope to make this possible by adding Mahmoud and his wife Warda to this fundraiser.

Breakdown

An estimate of the monthly living costs for 8 people in Egypt:

Living costs: around $9.600

Psychological help: $240

Educational material: $200

So this is a total of $10.040

The cats will need about $500 - $600 per month. It is a bit difficult to say with black market prices. If needed, we will adjust this number.

Two adults who need to get to the border from the north:

Per adult it’s $7000 for all the documents

And per adult it’s $2000 for service to get from the north to the border,

That is a total of $18.000

So our new budget goal is $28.640. As the Euro is getting weaker and the prognosis is bad, I will adjust it only a little, making our goal Є28.000.

Please continue to help

We have said it again and again but still can't say it enough: thank you so much! You have helped to save lives. This is the biggest thing we could have done together.

Now we need to support the Herez family settle in Egypt, keep feeding the cats in Gaza, and help Mahmoud and his wife to escape. Together, we can do this!

If anyone reading this thinks Є5, Є7 or Є10 won't make a lick of difference - guess again! We reached the goal thanks to so, so, so many of those 'small' donations. Trust me, people don't just say this. These contributions truly do add up.

Thank you so much for your humanity, generosity and support!

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Original Goal

Dear all,

Meet Walid, known as @LoverHomeless on X. He has been caring for homeless cats in northern Gaza for years. Since the recent attacks on Gaza, he's extended his compassion to care for cats who sadly lost their humans. Amidst his selfless acts, Walid is a devoted family man, prioritizing the safety and well-being of his wife Ishraq Herez and their three children, Shahad, Al-Waleed and Salem. We're rallying once again to support them. The previous GoFundMe campaign aimed to help the family leave Gaza. Now, with your continued generosity, we're expanding our efforts to save his parents, too.

Why the new request for your help?

The situation in Gaza has worsened since the last campaign. Around 85% of the population is displaced, nearly 2.2 million people face famine and unimaginable suffering. By now, Walid has lost family members, including two uncles and two cousins. His best friend was killed the day before his birthday. In this horrific light, he desperately wants to save his elderly parents.

Traumatized and nowhere to go

Walid has seen people getting killed, had to run for his life, while trying to find food for his family. He is severely traumatized. His house was damaged during bombardments. Tanks were in their streets for days on numerous occasions. Sleeping is near impossible. It is freezing without heat, shattered windows and holes in the walls. Stress caused by the bombings made several cats collapse to death, just like the beloved family dog.

I stand in solidarity with Walid and his family. I had no part in setting up the previous campaign, but I want to help now by setting up this one. Like many of you, I refuse to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others, especially those who embody kindness and selflessness in the face of adversity. I speak often to Walid and his wife. In doing so, I have grown fond of their lovely children. I want him and his family to be safe more than anything.

The goal of this campaign

The amount needed to get to Egypt safely is $7000 per person. Unfortunately, the amount needed to get safely from the north to the border has increased. It is now up to $2000 per person. We therefore set the goal at 26.000 euros, as I am writing to you from the lovely city of Gouda, in the Netherlands. If we collect more than is needed to get the extended family across the border, we will use it for other needs. After crossing the border, the family will look for much needed psychological help, due to the traumatic experiences they've already had so far. Accommodation and necessities are also needed, so that would be another way to use your donations.

Update on the goal

We are including Walid's sister, Islam to our rescue efforts. Therefore the goal will be pushed up to € 34.500.

See the update on March 27 for more details.

What about the cats?

What will happen to the cats? Walid's brother and a trusted friend remain behind to care for them. However, two vulnerable blind cats need assistance. Walid went out of his way to ensure they too can cross the border.

Please join us!

Your contribution, no matter the size, will help provide the means for Walid and his loved ones to escape the horrors of Gaza and start anew in a place of safety and peace.

Join me in celebrating kindness and compassion. Together, we can do this.

Thank you for your generosity and support!

Machteld Cornets de Groot