My name is Osama Mansour, and I have resided in Poland for several years. Meanwhile, my family, comprising my father, mother, brothers Ahmed, Hammam, Abdullah, Muhannad, and Mahmoud along with his wife and their children, Uday and Muhammad, as well as my sister Ghada, reside in Gaza, a region currently facing grave humanitarian challenges. Urgent circumstances, including indiscriminate bombings, necessitate their departure from the Gaza Strip. In response, I have undertaken the initiative to craft this narrative under my brother Mahmoud's name, given the inability to establish direct communication from Gaza. In this capacity, I draft this power of attorney on behalf of my brother and family in the Gaza Strip, with the solemn commitment that all funds collected will be exclusively allocated towards facilitating their safe passage out of the Gaza Strip.

Dear Friends and Kind Souls, 

"The arid grey smokes of war are raging, the sounds of projectiles are roaring, and the constant peeping noise of drones that nonstop sweeps through Gaza's blue sky puts Gaza's time back to neutrality." This was the statement I wrote the morning of October 7th as the war entered its day one. Today marks one hundred fifty days since the war has started and the horror I and my family have witnessed and still witnessing is heart-wrenching. Some of these stories we witnessed will remain a haunting nightmare in memory for a lifetime.

About Me: 

My name is Mahmoud Manassra, a native resident of the Shujaeyah neighborhood in eastern Gaza city. I am a married father of two boys, Ouday and Moni, aged two and five years old. I have six siblings and all of them have their own story.

A Family in Distress:

Days after October 7th, we were displaced from our homes amidst the barbaric bombardment that did not cease a second. We moved to central Gaza city for a night and we were displaced again to Rafah city. Finding a shelter was not an easy task where we had to move a number of times because of nearby raids that have almost cost us our lives. The hardships we faced are countless and securing our basic necessities has become our daily hustle, starting from fetching water from wells three times a day for washing and drinking. Searching for wood to use for cooking has been a life-threatening task because of the sporadic shelling of open areas. To put it mildly, securing a meal has become like walking a thin line between life and death. Both of my parents suffer from chronic diseases and in need of constant medical care. My father suffers from kidney failure and diabetes; he attends dialysis sessions three days a week. Few medical centers are still functioning and due to the overwhelming numbers of patients that need medical care, my father does not get the right medical treatment he requires; his case has deteriorated since then, and he has developed further complications. The need for his exit from the Gaza Strip is vital for his survival. My mother suffers from diabetes and she requires insulin injections and medications daily. Such medications for both parents are hardly obtained due to the collapse of the health system and the inability of pharmacies to secure vital medications.

My newly built house and my family home in Gaza city were both hit and bulldozed. Our farm that was a vital lifeline to the family was razed to the ground, deeming it unrecognizable. Some of the sixty olive trees family owned dated back 300 years and blessed us with olive oil and olives for generations, year after year. As I am writing this letter, we are preparing to head north to Dair Albalah to seek shelter as the threats of an operation in Rafah City are mounting.

How Can You Help?

 We urgently need your kind generosity to raise $50,000. The target sum will be used to cover border crossing fees for each one of my family and extended family into Egypt in pursuit of safety and health. To make the journey through the Rafah border crossing comes at a price of about $5000-$7000 per individual. Each dollar donated will make a difference and bring us closer to our desired goal. 

We are grateful and thankful for your kindness.

Mahmoud & Family