Layla’s story:
To my friends, family, and kind supporters,
I am Layla Mustafa, a mother of two children, Mohammed and Zeina. Before this war, we were a happy family. I worked online in marketing and training, and my husband, Diaa, provided for us. Our children were our world—Mohammed, a bright and compassionate boy of five, and Zeina, a four-year-old with a beautiful smile.
Our lives were turned upside down on October 7. We were forced to flee our home in northern Gaza, leaving everything behind. Our family home was later bombed, forcing us to move again and again. We lived in a small, shared tent in Rafah, with over 30 people, including my mother, siblings, and their children. The conditions were unbearable. During the temporary ceasefire my family went North. We lived in tents in Beit Lahia. Soon we found ourselves besieged- thinking our lives were over. Eventually we made it to a small rental in Sheik Radwan where 20 of us crammed into a small apartment. We find ourselves besieged once again and facing yet another displacement.
The children are suffering the most. My son, Mohammed, who is a carrier of thalassemia, suffers from severe anemia and a chronic sensitivity that causes him immense pain. My niece, Saija, has a neurological disorder that requires , Tebofortin, and Decal B12 medications that are completely unavailable here. The lack of clean water and unsanitary living conditions have led to the spread of diseases like hepatitis and allergic eczema among all the children.
We have lost our home, our jobs, and our sense of security. We are in a constant state of fear, not only from the bombings but from the diseases and starvation that are rampant here. We need your help to save our family. Your support is not just about survival; it is about giving our family of 30 a chance at a future—a future where they are safe, healthy, and can finally live without fear and have access to the medical care they desperately need.
