From Ruins to Hope: Mahmoud's Appeal for a New Beginning

The devastation in Gaza since October 7, 2023 has taken an unimaginable toll on innocent Palestinian families. This fund is created in memory of Farah Shaheen, a remarkable young woman whose life was cut short by the war, and to bring relief to a Gazan family I have known and loved for more than 17 years.

On October 23, 2023, an airstrike killed 21-year-old Farah, her parents, her siblings, and many members of her extended family. Nineteen lives were lost in a single moment. Four surviving family members remain trapped in Gaza, living in part of a bombed-out house with virtually nothing.

Farah's Uncle Mahmoud, whose wife and two sons were killed in the attack, was miraculously able to exit into Egypt with his two surviving daughters. Mahmoud helped start this campaign and is coordinating the entire project.

The goal of this campaign is to support all 11 survivors — those still in Gaza and those now in Egypt — with medical care and medicine for injuries sustained in the bombing, as well as food and basic living expenses. Their homes, possessions, and livelihoods have been completely destroyed.

Mahmoud's story: "I am an architect from Gaza, as was my beloved wife, Heba. On October 23, 2023, I lost my wife and our sons, Tarek and Abdullah. Buried under rubble, I dug with my bare hands and pulled out my nephew Yousef, then my daughters Sama and Haya. I stayed with Farah until her final breath."

"For 32 days we slept on the floor, without painkillers, food, or clean water. Five months passed in tents, hunger, and fear. I reached Egypt, but my heart remains in Gaza with those still trapped. Our homes are gone. Our family is shattered. But I am determined to save the survivors."

Your donation — large or small — can directly change the course of their lives. It can mean safety, medical care, and the chance to rebuild after losing everything. Thank you for giving, for sharing, and for keeping Farah's memory alive.