Support Ahmed's Fight for a Better Life

Hi, my name is Lilly from Burlington VT. I'm fundraising on behalf of Ahmed el-Hasanat. He is a 21 year-old living in Rafah with his family. Ahmed has a motor disability in his right foot and hand that he's had since he was young. His medical journey, including surgeries, was interrupted by unexpected calamity on Oct 7. His family of 9 (Ahmed, six sisters, his mother and father) has been living in a tent in Rafah for 5 months without the bare essentials. Ahmed and his father were both abducted and brutalized before being released because of his medical condition. His mother, Sana, asked for help creating a GoFundMe so that their family can afford to survive and Ahmed can get the care he needs. Here is her message to the world:

Hello Humans,

I am the mother of Ahmed El-Hasanat located in the Gaza Strip. He is the only son among my six daughters. Ahmed suffered from severe dilatation of left sided of the lateral ventricle resulting in a disability in his right arm and foot. After a false diagnosis of brain atrophy in his childhood, he underwent six extensive surgeries to treat and rehabilitate the critical impairments of his left hinge joints. Ahmed had a hope of living as a normal human being; he dropped out of school because he was not able to comprehend the educational curriculum and social relationships that are involved. However, Ahmed has been always aspired to shape the life he always once dreamed of. His father even had connections and contacts with foreign physicians and sergeants regarding his case. Unfortunately, due to the brutal assault and attack taking place in October 7th, all his faith has gone with the wind, all of his hopes and dreams have vanished as well.

He has been displaced from his own house in Al-Mughraga to the densely populated refugee camp of Al-Maghazi. Spending more than 70 days in his aunt home, the neighborhood was besieged and invaded by the Israeli occupation in the early hours of January 4th! Ahmed had never expected that he would be taken away with his father to the unknown. He had been beaten, tortured, handcuffed and bandaged by more than 7 Israeli occupation soldiers. Although he hasn’t told me about yet it, I am convinced he was humiliated as well. They set him free due to his long history of mental and physical disability, that we prayed and thank god for. Ahmed is now living in tent, where there is no connection with the humane services we wished for. As a mother, I have always yearned to see my son, Ahmed, a better and an active individual in his community and society. I do not want to let the whole world make him feel like he does not deserve what he wants, Ahmed deserves a genuine chance.