Interpal steps in to help desperate father in Gaza after emotional appeal for help

A father-of-five from the besieged Gaza Strip recently appeared on Al-Quds TV making an emotional appeal for food and shelter in return for one of his kidneys.

The distraught 35-year-old, named Ramadan Attar, lives in a derelict house with no furniture, and earns $3 a day from selling mint, which does not meet the needs of his six family members. Two of his children are suffering from serious medical conditions.

He told the television station:

“There can be nothing worse than having to sell a kidney for shelter. I’ve done it to be able to build a home for my children. I will sell an organ to secure a better home for my family, even if that means I die”

Upon hearing about his appeal for help, Gaza’s Interpal team visited Ramadan to provide him with a fridge, washing machine and household furniture. Crucially, he is now part of our Tok-Tok livelihood project, which will help Ramadan build long term financial security for himself and his family.

Ramadan will begin working immediately, transporting vegetables and mint to the local market with his new tok-tok car.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are at breaking point. 51 years of brutal occupation and 11 years of siege are taking their toll, with the majority of residents suffering from soaring levels of trauma and the ongoing indignity of poverty and displacement. Palestinians like Ramadan are in desperate need, but they are slowly losing hope.

It is thanks to the continued support and generosity of our donors that we are able to provide people like Ramadan with the means to gain financial independence, and ease at least some of the burdens they continue to face. For more information about our community development projects, please visit interpal.org or call 020 8961 9993.