Seeking Refuge: Help Noor's Family Evacuate Gaza

Noor lost her husband, her home, her job as a teacher, and any sense of security when the (most recent) aggression on Gaza began five months ago. Now a single parent, she has made the incredibly difficult decision to evacuate Gaza for a chance of survival, along with remaining members of her family, including her uncle who suffers from blood clotting in his feet and requires specific medicine not available in Gaza.

In her words,

"My husband was a taxi driver. He was working during the beginning of the war to provide for us as always. He didn't want to stop working because he knew we would need food and I would lose my job as schools shut down for the safety of the students.

He was determined to help other people evacuate Gaza using our car and at the same time provide for the family. Yet, while he was working, the Israeli forces were targeting people while evacuating and his car was in the crowd. He along with the passengers and tens of people were murdered.

One act of kindness can save a life. My family and I have lived our lives to the fullest. With a blink of an eye, we found ourselves trapped in a cycle of violence and despair. With each passing day, the threat of danger grew ever closer. And so, with heavy hearts and trembling hands, we have made the agonizing decision to leave behind all that we knew and loved in search of safety and security. Stand with us to evacuate Gaza away from this genocide.

I reach out to you with a plea for compassion and solidarity, as I am trying to help my son, my uncle, my two brothers and I in Gaza after losing everything we own.

Five months of war have turned our lives upside down. We have been forced to leave our homes, which were filled with love and joy, leaving behind all what we own. We have watched helplessly as our streets became battlegrounds and our neighborhoods were reduced to ruins by the ceaseless onslaught of bombs and bullets. There's no electricity, no sense of security, and darkness prevails. And we have no option but to reduce our meals to one unhealthy option a day.

We have endured much pain and loss because of this deadly genocide. Each family member had been subject to pain and the loss of something really valuable in their life. I have lost my beloved husband, my house, and everything I ever owned, including my clothes and my son's. My father and mother had lost their house with everything in it; my brothers and sisters had all lost their online and offline jobs because of this ever-ending war.

We all hope for your response and support to save our lives."

—

My name is Lina Barkawi, based in Brooklyn, NYC.

A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of meeting a remarkable young woman whose spirit and ingenuity shone brightly even whilst living under blockade in Gaza. It was through my involvement with Gaza Sky Geeks, an initiative dedicated to incubating and accelerating successful startups and entrepreneurs in Gaza that I crossed paths with her. From our very first encounter, her presence was captivating, her vision boundless, and her ability to articulate ideas nothing short of limitless possibilities.

As we worked together to nurture her startup concept, I witnessed firsthand her unwavering determination and remarkable charisma. Despite the challenges she faced daily – the chaos and uncertainty of the environment in Gaza even before this ongoing genocide – she remained undeterred, her passion for innovation and her belief in a better future for her community serving as guiding beacons. In her, I saw not just an entrepreneur with an innovative idea, but a beacon of hope for Gaza, a testament to the incredible potential that exists within its people if only given the opportunity to thrive in safety and security.

I am calling on you now to help if you can. To those of you who are unable to donate, I ask that you engage with and share this post with your communities.

The funds from this campaign will go directly towards evacuating Noor Naem Hosney Mhanna (27), her son Nayef Khaled Nayef Al Hattab (4), her uncle Akram Hosney Ismael Mhanna (50), her brothers Mohammad (24), Hosney (22) and Omar (20) Naem Hosney Mhanna, her sister Nazira Naem Hosney Mhanna (29) and her sister's fiance Mahmoud Zuhair Fayeq Mhanna (34), her parents Naem Hosney Ismail Mhanna (64) and Raghda Omar Hasan Mhanna (53), and her sister Mariam Naem Hosney Mhanna (34), her sister's husband Khaled Bashir Salem Mhanna (41), and her sister's children Yara (11) and Alaa (7) Khaled Bashir Mhanna out of Gaza.

We are raising $7,000 / person in order to support evacuation and initial funds for rent and other necessities upon entering Egypt.