The 7 people that we are supporting are three generations of the Alshaikhkhalil family: Inam (mother), Mai & Ahmed (siblings), Akram (Mai’s husband), baby Mila (Mai’s daughter), Shahad (Ahmed’s wife), and Dina (a distant relative who is left alone in Rafah, separated from her parents and siblings who was stranded in the Northern Gaza). Their homes were in different parts of Gaza city, but after the series of military aggressions that targeted civilian homes in Gaza City and spaces of shelters such as hospitals and refugee camps, eventually they all found themselves stranded in different parts of the tent city in Rafah, the most Southern part of Gaza, sheltering apart from one another. Unable to return to their destroyed homes and without funds to evacuate via the Rafah Crossing to Egypt, the 3 young women in the family separately reached out to us to ask for help on March 14. 

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Now, their situation has become increasingly dangerous: Israel has been conducting air raids over Rafah in the weeks leading up to the end of April in preparation for a ground invasion. The refugees sheltering in Rafah have been instructed to evacuate further away from the border, 7 kilometers away toward Al-Mawasi. When the impending ground invasion starts, Rafah Crossing might be closed.

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Inam, the family's elderly matriarch, suffers from a heart condition, while Mai's toddler, Mila, just turned two. Tragically, Abeer, one of Inam's daughters, and her two children lost their lives earlier in the conflict. Amidst this turmoil, the family struggles to mourn their losses.

This isn't the full extent of their plight. Others remain stranded in Northern Gaza or scattered throughout Rafah. We're also in touch with three brothers outside Gaza, Yousef, Mohammad, and Younis, who are preparing for their family's evacuation with our support.

Their urgency is clear. We must act swiftly to ensure their safety. 

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Click on the photos below to learn more about each of the siblings’ circumstances and their needs.