Support Amira's Family's Journey to Safety
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Welcome everybody. My name is Amira, and my husband is Yahia. Our family consists of 4 members. I have 2 daughters, their names are Zaina, and Noor.
With a heavy heart, I am writing to you about our experience living in a plastic tent in the Al-Mawasi area. After we were displaced from the north of the Gaza Strip to the south. As for me, I suffer from a vitamin deficiency, due to poor nutrition and the lack of clean, and unavailable food.
I now go to the hospital almost daily to receive the necessary medical solutions so that I can do my role as a mother and take care of my children.
As for my oldest child, Zaina, who is 7 years old, She was infected with a fungal virus in her head, Due to pollution and lack of water ,Because of this severe war.
And due to the lack of entry and availability of medications, I can’t get the medication for her.
My two daughters suffer from illness, severe cold, and intestinal diseases due to malnutrition, especially Zaina She suffers from anemia and body weakness. She is unable to even play or do any effort.
As we live in a tent, we struggle in the mud when the rain falls.
After being displaced more than four times, we could not find another place to stay but this tent.
The electricity and internet were cut off for more than seven months. And this picture shows the condition of the water that my two daughters drink.
I am an accounting who completed my Bachelor's degree at the Islamic University in the Faculty of accounting. I was working as freelancer in a company in Saudi Arabia.
Before this war, I was planning to register in masters degree, so that I can make my life better and be an active member in the society.
I know I can achieve all my goals, but this war has taken away every ambition and goal, I had the greatest enthusiasm to achieve
It’s the 266th day of the war, and things are getting worse and more confusing every day. We literally never know what is going to happen, so we always live in fear. After our house was bombed, we moved four times searching for safety, but unfortunately, there is no safe place in Gaza, and every area is bombed without prior warnings. My children have been suffering psychologically since the beginning of the war due to the intensity and frightening sounds of nearby explosions, which made them shiver constantly, lose weight, sleep poorly, and not eat. I will never forget the terrifying and difficult times I went through during the time we spent in northern Gaza before we runaway into south. I try hard to make my two daughters play and make them forget the war and bombing, even if for a few minutes.
The most difficult moments for me and my family were when the Israeli army entered by land with its tanks and we were sitting next to each other in the same room and there were 8 of us, me, my husband, my daughters Zaina and Noor , my mothe, my father, my sister and my brother .They fired phosphorus bombs into our neighborhood, and the most terrifying moment was when the house next to us was bombed with several deadly missiles, and we heard voices calling for help and help to pull them out from under the rubble, but we could not and we stood with our hands folded in fear, with nothing but prayers. And the soldier whose tank was a few meters away from our house began calling into the microphone: “You must evacuate the area quickly or we will arrest you.”
We took responsibility for our lives and said goodbye to each other, perhaps for the last time. We left our accommodation carrying nothing but a backpack containing important papers, a white flag in the right hand, and an ID card in the left hand. We walked behind each other, because it was forbidden to turn right or left. My two daughters were crying, and I was praying to God that the soldiers would not notice my daughters crying, because it was forbidden to make any sound. Suddenly my two daughters became silent and continued walking.
There are details that the mind cannot ignore or forget!
I have survived four violent wars previously, but this one was unlike any other war we have ever witnessed. It is much worse than all previous wars. Now I fear for my children due to the severity of the war. I don't know if we'll be able to get through this. “I don't want my children to die,” I really don't want my children to die, I still have ambitions that I want to achieve.
Unfortunately ,they do not allow people to return from the south to the north, and therefore we cannot return to our house, which was bombed and completely destroyed. The bombing of my university and my city caused me and my husband to lose work. We have lost so many dear friends and family, I lost two of my uncles and two of my cousins and their children. My spirit is not broken despite these difficulties, and I am committed to trying to save my family.
But, in order to save my family, I must leave Rafah and evacuate to Egypt with an expense of $7,000 per person for my family that consists of 4 members. This amount is paid so that we pass through the Rafah crossing border.
We are really trying to rebuild and look forward to better days, so your help is truly appreciated. All contributions, no matter how small, enable us to begin to mend our shattered hopes. I humbly and deeply want every kind person to help me tell the world about my experience and my message. We appreciate your help and patience during this difficult time. For me and my family, your support means a new beginning. It also signifies compassion and unity in the pursuit of justice and the preservation of human life.
Here are my social media pages:
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Amira Aqad
Instagram :
These photos for my family:
Organizer and beneficiary
Amira Aqad
Organizer
Holtsville, NY
Asra S
Beneficiary