Urgent Humanitarian Appeal – A Family in Crisis in Gaza

Product Description

United Kingdom

Supporters

My name is Rana, a Palestinian from Gaza currently living in Belfast. I am an asylum seeker and have not yet been granted residency or the right to work. Despite my own difficult situation, my heart remains with my family in Gaza, who are living under unbearable conditions due to war, siege, and the complete collapse of basic life infrastructure.

I am writing today to share their story — not only out of desperation, but with the hope that someone, somewhere, might extend a helping hand.

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A Family Shattered by War: Struggling to Survive in Gaza

We are a large, extended family consisting of our elderly father, mother, my aunt (my father’s sister), twelve sons and daughters — four of whom are married with children — and around 15 grandchildren, all living together under one overcrowded roof in the heart of Gaza.

The most devastating tragedy came during the recent war, when my eldest brother was seriously injured, leaving him completely paralyzed and dependent on others for every aspect of his life. He urgently needs treatment and rehabilitation abroad — something completely impossible in Gaza due to the destruction of the healthcare system and lack of specialized services. He also requires a special diet that we cannot provide.

Our father suffers from chronic illnesses that require ongoing medical attention and a strict diet — both of which are out of reach. Our mother is in fragile health and is gradually losing her eyesight. She urgently needs surgery to prevent complete vision loss, but such treatment is unavailable in Gaza’s broken medical system.

My aunt — my father’s sister — lives with us and suffers from severe bone-related health problems. She needs continuous treatment and proper nutrition to maintain her fragile condition, but under the current circumstances, nothing is available to help her.

My eldest sister is also in a critical condition. She suffers from serious health problems that cause her to lose consciousness frequently, resulting in repeated emergency hospital admissions. Doctors have confirmed that she needs urgent surgery, but due to the lack of medical facilities in Gaza, her life is in danger with every passing day that the surgery is delayed.

To make matters even more painful, my nephew — only 1 year and 6 months old — is suffering from delayed development. He has only recently begun to sit again, is still unable to walk, and can only produce a few basic sounds. Doctors have confirmed that this delay is the result of severe nutritional deficiencies, as we are unable to provide him with the proper food essential for healthy childhood development.

No one in the family is employed. We have no source of income or financial support. There is no clean water, no stable food supply, no electricity, and no safe shelter. We survive — barely — on sporadic humanitarian aid that does not meet even our most basic needs, let alone cover the critical medical care required by several family members.

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I am reaching out today with a heavy heart and a simple hope: to save my family. We are not asking for luxury, but for the basic human right to health, safety, and survival. Any help — whether medical, financial, or humanitarian — could change their lives completely.

Please, help us restore some dignity and hope.

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A note from Elfie Seymour who will be collecting the funds and sending them all directly to Asmaa and her family;

Thank you for clinking the link and opening this fundraiser.

My name is Elfie and I am supporting Rana and her family to organise this fundraiser. I met Rana through my work with Anaka Women’s Collective and Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR Project). Rana fled Gaza, Palestine with her husband and brother in 2024 and has been living in Belfast ever since. When living in Gaza, Rana worked for various organisations as a mental health professional supporting her community with the impact of trauma and everyday life in Gaza. Soon after Rana arrived in Belfast she started to volunteer with Anaka, running art workshops, offering stress management classes in Arabic and helping to organise our weekly community growing group at the Waterworks park with Grow NI. Rana is now in the incredibly difficult situation of being here whilst all her family are experiencing unimaginable terror and hardship in Khan Younis Camp, Gaza. Please read her words and the words of her sister so you can understand just what is happening and how you can help.

Rana now needs the help of her new community in Belfast to help her extended family in Gaza. Please donate if you can and/or share this with your networks.

If you have any questions for me please email [email protected]

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Raffle to win one of two Reverend Munthur Isaac’s ‘The Other Side of The Wall’ Book. To Enter please donate £3 or over to this fundraiser and when asked please confirm you want to enter the raffle and leave a contact. The raffle will close on the 1st of August 2025 and we aim to have an event to draw the raffle shortly after. We will also be able to post the book to any winners in England, Scotland, Wales and the island of Ireland.

Thank you so much for your kindness and continued support. It truly means a great deal to us in these very difficult times.

I wanted to let you know that the family has received half of the donated amount so far, and it has already helped cover some urgent needs.

They used part of it to pay for transportation from Khan Younis to Deir al-Balah, and to purchase a third tent. As you know, the family is quite large, and they were all crowded into only two tents. This situation caused a lot of discomfort, especially for my brother who is unwell.

Now, he has a separate tent with his wife and their five children, while my parents, siblings, and younger sisters share another tent. The third tent is for my elderly aunt, who is also sick and cannot handle the noise of the children, so she shares it with my sister to take care of her.

They were also able to buy some basic food supplies, which helped a lot.

We are all deeply grateful for your support. May your kindness come back to you many times over.

Megan O’Kane

3 days ago

£20

Anita McBriar

10 days ago

£10

Chloe Finnegan

16 days ago

£20

Anonymous

16 days ago

£5

Eimear O Brien

17 days ago

£20

Anonymous

17 days ago

£10

Clodagh Boyce

17 days ago

€5

Anonymous

17 days ago

£10

Anonymous

17 days ago

£5

Anonymous

26 days ago

£20

Talga Bendie

26 days ago

£20

Anonymous

29 days ago

£20

Anonymous

4 weeks ago

£5

Hazel Workman

4 weeks ago

£7

Anonymous

4 weeks ago

£5

Anonymous

4 weeks ago

£25

Lisa Mckee

4 weeks ago

£5

Ann Loughran

4 weeks ago

£25

Harry Hebdon

4 weeks ago

£5

Sarah Sofia Vasiliu

4 weeks ago

£5

Rana

My family and I appreciate your donations. Every donation, no matter how small, helps my family survive and stay resilient amid this brutal famine attack.

2 months ago

Dianne Kirby

As well as helping the family, making a donation, however small, allows you to enter the prize draw for one of two signed copies of the Reverend Munther Isaac’s first book.

2 months ago

Anonymous

A beautiful family struggling together to survive

2 months ago

Asmaa

Thank you very much

2 months ago

Asmaa

Elfie Seymour

Rana Hajouj