Can You Send Money to Gaza by PayPal? Yes. Here Is How It Reaches Us.

People ask me this all the time. Can PayPal reach Gaza? Will my gift actually arrive? Who receives it? For a few weeks the honest answer on this page was no. It has changed, so I have rewritten it.

I am Mohammed Al-Shanti, an agricultural engineer in Gaza City. Donations keep my wife, my son Ibrahim and our little daughter fed and under a roof. Below is how to send one now.

How a PayPal Gift Reaches Us

The bank accounts that used to receive our donations were closed this autumn, for no reason other than being tied to Gaza. Money that donors had already given was left stuck where we could not withdraw it.

So we changed how gifts reach us. Donations now go to the PayPal account of my cousin, a man I trust completely. The moment a gift arrives he withdraws it, the same day, and brings it to us. Nothing sits in an account waiting.

You will see my cousin's name when you pay. He is the person who carries your gift the last part of the way to us.

What It Costs

PayPal takes a processing fee from each donation before it reaches us. The exact amount depends on your country and how you pay. Everything that is left comes to the family. There is no organisation in between and nobody else takes a share.

How to Give: Step by Step

Here is the exact process from your end. It takes about a minute.

1. Click any donate button on this site, or open our PayPal donation page directly. It opens in a new tab.
2. You will see my cousin's name on the PayPal page. That is the right page.
3. Enter any amount. There is no minimum.
4. Pay by card or with your PayPal balance.
5. PayPal emails you a receipt straight away.
6. Come back to this tab. A short form asks for your name and what you gave, so I can thank you and show you what it bought.

Do I Need a PayPal Account?

Usually not. PayPal's donation page normally lets you pay with a debit or credit card as a guest. In some countries PayPal asks you to log in or create an account first. If you already have PayPal, you can pay from your balance in a few taps.

What About Wire Transfers or Other Methods?

Some donors have asked about wire transfers, Western Union, or crypto. Here is my honest assessment of each.

Wire transfers to Palestinian bank accounts are theoretically possible but extremely difficult in practice right now. International wire transfers to Gaza involve correspondent banking restrictions that make the process slow, uncertain, and often subject to holds. I do not recommend trying this path.

Western Union has faced operational issues in Gaza throughout the conflict. Availability is inconsistent and in-person pickup locations are not reliably accessible. Not a dependable option.

Crowdfunding platforms can work for families in Gaza, but many of them cannot pay out to people living here. Before you give through one, ask the family how they withdraw the money.

Cryptocurrency works and cannot be blocked by any company. In honesty, few donors use it, because most people who want to help a family do not hold crypto. The wallets are on our crypto page if you are one of the people who do.

For most donors, PayPal is now the way. For a large gift, write to me first and I will send the documents that prove who we are.

Is It Legal for Me to Send Money to Gaza?

This is an important question and the honest answer is: for the vast majority of donors in Western countries, yes, it is legal. Donating to a verified individual for humanitarian purposes is not restricted under standard financial regulations in the US, UK, EU, Canada, or Australia.

The restrictions that exist around financial transfers to conflict zones primarily target organizations or entities associated with sanctioned groups. A personal humanitarian donation to a verified Palestinian family is not in that category. The full answer is in is it legal to donate to a Gaza family.

How Do I Know My Money Was Actually Received?

PayPal emails you a receipt immediately after you donate. That is your proof of payment.

After you give, the short form on our site asks for your name and what you gave. I read every one. I will thank you personally, and if you leave your email I will send you a photo of what your gift bought.

I also update this website with diary entries when significant things happen. These are real updates from a real family. They are my accountability to you.

A Personal Note

I know that sending money to Gaza can feel uncertain. You cannot see where it goes, and now you will see a name that is not mine. I understand that, and I respect it.

That is exactly why I built this website with a full verification page, and why I send my ID privately to anyone who asks. I want you to check. I want you to be skeptical. And then I want you to see that everything I say is true, and I want you to help my family.

My daughter was born into this war. She has never known a Gaza that was not under siege. Your donation does not fix that. But it keeps her fed, clean, and sheltered for another few weeks. That is not nothing. That is everything to me.