Story
My name is Mat, I live in Southampton, England. I am trying to help my friend Moataz and his family who are trapped inside Gaza.
I first met Moataz through football in 2003, when i sent a kit to Gaza - Moataz was one of the children who wore it. We then worked together to help write the story of what became of those players in 2017.
Now, in 2024, we are working together again in dire circumstances. Below is Moataz in his own words. Anything you can do to help him and his family would be so gratefully received. Thank you x
My name is Moataz Al-Buhaisi. I live in Deir Al-Balah camp in the Gaza Strip. I am married and I have three children - Judy, 7 years old. Fatima, aged 5, and Mohammed who is 5 months old.
Since childhood, I was interested in playing football. I joined Deir Al-Balah club and played in the Palestine Junior National team. I played an international tournament in Iran, and a friendly tournament in Norway, where we were able to reach the quarter-finals before losing to a team from Mexico.
After that, i was called up to the national team but was unable to join them due to the educational conditions in the Gaza Strip, and the problems in moving through borders to The West Bank or Egypt. So I stayed playing with Deir Al-Balah.
I am writing to you today from the heart of the Gaza Strip with heavy and broken hearts. We have been living in an unending nightmare since October 7, 2023, and it seems that every day brings more suffering. As a family we are doing our best to support each other during these terrifying moments.
As the IDF prepares for an operation in our region, we face the possibility of evacuation in the coming days or weeks. We don't know where we're going. There is nowhere to go.
We are currently experiencing the daily horror of war, running from place to place in search of the basic necessities of life.
The only solution we see is to leave here as quickly as possible. We have friends in Egypt who are trying to raise the money needed for the exit documents that can get us across the border. But we have lost everything in the war.
If you can help us, no matter how small, it would make a big difference and take us one step closer to safety.
I urge the football community to unite to help us. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated, and we will always remember you. We have no other hope but to ask you for your support.
