Help Sarah Whitmore’s Family Evacuate from Gaza

I'm Sarah Whitmore, a Palestinian from Gaza. My husband, David, was American, and tragically, he lost his life during the recent conflict. Now, I'm left to care for our three children: Ali (5), Ameer (3), and Mona (2), while navigating these unimaginable circumstances.

Our lives shattered on October 7th. In the chaos, we fled our home and took refuge with relatives, initially cramming into a kitchen to be closer to the door, always ready to escape. The sounds of bombs and the sight of flames surrounding us in northern Gaza filled us with fear. After a week, we received urgent advice to evacuate south towards Wadi Gaza.

We spent two weeks in UNRWA shelters, which were overcrowded and unsanitary. Upon returning home, we were again forced to flee due to renewed threats, this time moving to my sister’s house on Nasser Street. But when the possibility of a ground invasion arose, we had to evacuate once more, returning to the UNRWA shelters in Rafah.

In Rafah, we were squeezed into a tiny space with 17 people and only 8 mattresses. The conditions were unbearable—insufficient food, contaminated water, and a lack of basic sanitation led to illness. I contracted hepatitis from the unsanitary conditions, and with no access to proper treatment, I remained bedridden for nearly a month.

For six and a half months, we lived in desperation, fighting for clean water and food. Winter brought freezing temperatures, and as the threat of invasion loomed again, we were forced to flee to Al-Zawayda in the central region, where we currently live in tents.

Our situation is dire. The intense heat of summer is unbearable, and my children have developed skin diseases and weakened immune systems from the humid, unsanitary conditions. Contaminated water has led to outbreaks of diseases, including polio, and we have no access to medical care.

For the past 10 months, I’ve had no source of income, and my family's survival hangs in the balance. We desperately need support to provide the basic necessities for our children. Your donations, no matter how small, can help us endure this unimaginable struggle. Please, stand with us in this time of need as we seek to rebuild our lives and find a way back to safety.