Help Layla Mohammed and her family leave Gaza

Hi our names are Peter Oswald and Alice Oswald, from Britain. We were judges of a poetry competition organised by the Hands Up Project, a charity that links students in Palestine with teachers around the world. Layla painted the beautiful picture you can see on the previous page, which was used as the theme of the competition. The book of competition poems, MOON TELL ME TRUTH, with Layla's painting on the front cover, is a big hit in the UK, with poems being read out at numerous marches and events. We are crowdfunding, at Layla's request, to raise money for her to leave Gaza for Egypt.

I am Layla, a Palestinian future Biologist, fueled by passion, resilience, and unwavering determination.

At just 20 years old, I find myself navigating a path toward the future I've always envisioned. But my journey took an unexpected turn on the fateful day of October 7th, 2023. That was when everything changed.

Despite the odds stacked against me, I poured my heart and soul into my studies, emerging as the top student in clinical biology at the Islamic University – Gaza (IUG). It was a moment of triumph, only to be overshadowed by the devastation wrought by the IDF air force, reducing my beloved university to rubble.

My heart swells with pride for my family. There's my father, Mohammed, whose tireless efforts sustain us through even the darkest of days. My mother, Lolo, embodies love in its purest form, a constant source of comfort and strength. And then there's Sarah, my sweet sister, denied the chance to step foot into a classroom at just six years old. Ibrahim, at sixteen, had barely begun to explore the world of language learning before chaos engulfed us. Salma, my artistic soulmate, shares my passion for painting, a bond that runs deeper than words can express. Among our many achievements, one stands out—a painting of mine, the "purple beam," a beacon of hope that touched the hearts of countless children, inspiring poetry that now resides in a book titled "Moon Tell Me the Truth" by the Hands Up Project. Our lives were once filled with joyous milestones, our parents' faces glowing with pride as they watched us blossom into the best versions of ourselves. Weekends were reserved for visits to our grandparents' house, a sanctuary of love and laughter that now lies in ruins. They depended solely on my father and aunt, who now risk their lives daily to provide for our family's needs in a world fraught with danger and uncertainty. The pain of their loss weighs heavy on our hearts, a constant reminder of the fragility of life and the resilience required to endure. But now, Gaza lies in darkness. We're engulfed by a desperate struggle for the most basic necessities: food, water, medicine, shelter, and safety. Forced to flee multiple times, we now seek refuge in Rafah, to the south of Gaza. Yet even here, danger lurks at every corner. We're reliving a nightmare, a modern-day Nakba akin to the one my grandfather endured. We long for escape, to reclaim the simple joys of sipping tea together in the morning, of pursuing education without fear, of feeling truly safe and free.

Gaza was once vibrant and full of life, but now it's a shadow of its former self. We cling to hope, dreaming of a brighter tomorrow where we can rebuild our shattered lives and restore our dignity.