On 12/27 and 12/28, a storm swept Khan Younis, destroying the tents and most of the belongings of many families Oberlin Students for a Free Palestine (SFP) has developed close relationships with -- some of us have daily conversations with members of families who've become dear friends. But many Gazan friends and families we love are now displaced, without homes or warm clothes and blankets in the harrowing winter. Without support from folks with stable access to shelter and food, they risk dying from cold and exposure in dangerous storms. In addition, multiple families we're in contact with have received death threats from predatory debt collectors. For their safety, we're seeking assistance in paying off their debt as soon as possible.
SFP members working closely with specific families wrote these short bios to introduce you to our families (why we use "ours"), humanize them, and share urgent needs that they've expressed to us --
Reed:
On December 23, Firas Abu Raida sent us this message: "I haven't slept. The cold is unbearable. My limbs are trembling from the intense cold. I feel like my body has turned blue from the cold. I'm suffering so much. I'm slowly dying. My limbs feel like blocks of ice from the cold, and at the same time, my stomach is rumbling from extreme hunger."
Firas is a student in Gaza who works hard to support his family, including his two disabled parents. He has always dreamed about becoming a computer programmer and he is devastated that the war has prevented him from studying what he loves. Two years ago, he was an avid computer science and math student, earning a certificate in front-end web development. Now, he and his family are struggling to survive. Their tent was destroyed in the storm and they now have no shelter from the rain or the cold.
Here is a photo of Firas next to another of the storm's effect on his tent:
Kayleigh & Emma:
The Al-Najjar family of eight (including our dear friend Faisal who recently graduated highschool and his sister Shaimaa who's applying for university abroad) have met many of their urgent needs: they have been able to rebuild their tent, construct an outhouse, and buy vegetables, clothes, and mattresses with money from generous supporters. That said, they still need support to buy medicine for Faisal's grandmother, afford surgery for Faisal's brother Amir, and pay off debts imposed by genocide.
Here's a photo of Faisal with Shaima and his elderly grandmother Fawaz in their tent before the storm:
Reed:
Qussai Baraka is a resilient 18-year-old in Gaza who wants to study medicine. He recently graduated high school through many online courses, sometimes giving up food so he could afford internet service. His is one of many tents the storm blew over. Although his family was able to put it back up and repair some of the damaged wood, it still has a many gaps that let in the rain and wind, so they're hoping for support to fund repairs. In addition, Qussai has been suffering from a fungal tooth infection and needs funds urgently for medication.
Here’s a photo of Qussai after graduating high school and a video that shows the damage to his tent:
Julia:
Ola Mahmoud Al-Najjar (not related to Faisal) is the mother of three young children: 9-year-old Siraj and 3-year-old twins, Karim and Karam. They are living in a tent by the coast in Al-Mawasi where they face overcrowding, severe flooding, and exorbitant food and medicine prices. Two years ago, Siraj was a high-achieving elementary school student before his school was destroyed by bombs and his family had to flee. Karim and Karam, like all toddlers, are imaginative and energetic. They make toys from the rubble and play in the sand with their big brother, staying resilient despite the sound of bombs in the background.
Heartbreakingly, all three of Ola’s children are sick and have been fighting ongoing health issues (aggravated asthma, persistent skin infections) from a lack of winter clothes, blankets, adequate shelter, and medicine. Facing extreme winds and rain, Ola needs our support to repair her damaged tent and afford antibiotics for Siraj and Karam as well as an inhaler for Karim.
Here are photo of Ola's kids before they got sick and a photo of Karam with a skin infection and a fever:
Kayleigh:
Ameer Karam and his younger siblings, mother, and wife lost their tent in the storm earlier this week. Now, he's needing our help in renting a tent in the short-term to stay in and eventually rebuilding their tent and belongings. His mom is also in recovery from hip surgery, and their family has been consistently struggling to access food.
Here are a photo of his tent after the storm next to a photo of Ameer with his family before it struck:
Mona OC:
Abood Al-Najjar (not related to Ola or Faisal) is a 23-year old who’s been dealing with displacement and genocide in what would be his peak university years. Despite all the devastation and still being the sole provider he just got engaged last month, and then immediately got hit with a destructive storm that displaced his family, collapsing their tent, and put his father in the hospital. His birthday is in a week (January 18th) and this year, like the last two years, his birthday will be spent collecting money not for cool cars or a nice meal, (or even holding a wedding) but instead desperately trying to raise enough money to keep his family members alive.
His niece Mona has a heart condition that requires regular medical attention, and he and his younger brother have both been injured by the iof, so there are multiple members of his family that need medical attention pretty regularly - outside of his dad’s current hospitalization. and with the high costs of rebuilding their tent and buying food, Abood and the Al-Najjars need our support!!
Here's a photo of Abood and his family followed by a photo of their tent after the storm:
Josie Shehadi:
Omar is a 23 year old in Gaza caring for his nine family members. As a former computer studies student at university, he sells digital cookbooks of his family recipes to help support he and his wife’s mutual aid work to provide food, warm clothes, and water to his neighbors. Now, his family is trying to afford food and rent for a place to stay after the roof of their tent broke, averaging about $500 a week. Any and all donations would be a great help to keeping him and his family alive.
Additionally, one family we're in touch and a member of another family we work with have been forced into thousands of dollars in debt from repeated displacements. They are now receiving threats against their lives from debt collectors, and we are incredibly concerned for their well-being. For their safety, they requested that we not share their names or pictures of them publicly, but we are willing to share information directly with individuals via email (if you're interested, please post your contact info in the comment section below).
With your support, we hope to raise $20,000 to replace the families’ tents, outhouses, clothes, bedding, and cookware, and support them with immediate housing and medical needs. Money raised will also protect families from life-threatening debt situations. Please donate whatever you can, share and boost this message on social media, and ask friends and family for support. Any amount you choose to give will lend our families material support to recover and move forwards ❤️🩹
