Islam and her family

Asalam Alaikum,

In life, we all go through a series of unfortunate events such as death of a loved one, displacement, separation, fear of threats or persecution—some may encounter it within the span of their lifetime, some may only experience tragedy once or twice. For myself, Islam Hallouk, mother of two young children (ages two and one), and my hard-working husband; we, as a family, have experienced all of these unfortunate events since the occupation of Northern Gaza on October 7th, 2023, every single day. Our apartment and my husband’s family house were bombed and now my kids are deprived of the safety of their home and the joy of playing with simple things like their toys or having, a clean blanket to sleep with. While young children should be taking in the beauty of their environment, my children are experiencing firsthand on what war is like and witnessing deaths of beloved family and friends, which may have life-long, traumatic impacts on their development.

Since the war, we have been displaced several times, from the Shati camp, to the Nuseirat and now Adeir al-Balah. Every time we moved, we were told the next place or camp was a ‘safe’ area from the war; however, the reality is, bombardment has not stopped, and every inch of our land has almost been destroyed. Our shop and schools have been destroyed. We no longer have hospitals and have very limited medical staff to help tend to neighbours who have been injured, which consist mostly of women and children. Without medical care, our people are dying from wounds that require simple medical remedies.

Finding the positives in our situation has been an uphill battle but we try to make the most of our situation so that we can survive. Academically, I studied and received a bachelor’s degree specializing in English, Language and Arts. I was also able to get my teacher’s diploma qualification that allowed me to become a teacher. Our family has been living in Northern Gaza for at least 34 years and I have had the privilege of teaching Palestinian students for more than 2 years, while my husband has been a coffee shop owner for 13 years. I love teaching and have contributed to the society and the learning and development of students in Gaza. All we ask is that Palestinians can live in our homeland as free and equal citizens, neither dominated by others nor dominating anyone else.

The situation day by day changes all the time and our family must keep moving in order to escape the escalating danger due to the non-stop bombardment from every direction. We require assistance to obtain basic necessities such as food, water, medical supplies, and a shelter. The living conditions are harsh and unsanitary as the fighting continues. Aids coming from outside are not reaching areas where it is essentially needed. We have family abroad who are trying to help us leave the city; however, due to political challenges, it is very difficult for them to help us leave the country. As we are unable to leave the country at the moment, we turn to social media community and with Allah's sustenance and your assistance, we can raise enough funds to help get basic needs to buy food, clothes, shelter, medical aid and to rebuild our home in Gaza (or whatever is left in the pile of rubbles and stench of war). By the will of Allah and your generous donations, my children and family can have a better chance of survival as the war rages on and continues to destroy our country. With Allah’s mercy and grace, the war will end and Palestinians can be free from years of imprisonment.

Please help me in raising this money for my family and if you can share this story with your social networks, my family would be forever grateful. Every little contribution counts to help families like mine survive during this brutal war. May Allah bless you in your family, wealth and your property.