Cruelty Free Kitchen/Camp - North Gaza Community Aid
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Hi! I'm Victoria, and I'm running this fundraiser to support twenty families living inside the Cruelty-Free Camp, located in Gaza City, Northern Gaza. Originally started by a group of close friends as the Cruelty-Free Kitchen, our team - Walid, Mo and Aboud now work tirelessly to look after the wellbeing of these families, whilst trying to keep their own families afloat amidst the destruction.
Thanks to your generous donations, thousands of meals were donated from the Cruelty-Free Kitchen throughout the duration of the conflict, meaning hundreds to thousands of people (mostly children! ) were able to go home with a meal in their bellies.
In March 2025, operations expanded as the team created a new camp for displaced families to live in, providing tents and living materials and food and water for families to survive. Since then, food production has scaled down and water distribution became slightly easier, so the campaign is now fully focused on supporting the families in the camp.
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What happens to my donation?
Once your donation is made, Chuffed will take a 2-3% fee (see fees below), and the money will be held by Stripe for 3-4 days until it is released to a bank account in the UK. This is a separate account that holds the money for the team until they request a transfer. Due to limitations on how money can be accessed in Gaza, the money is then transferred through PayPal to someone with cash on the ground. From here, the team either access cash with a steep fee, or they transfer to families directly through Bank of Palestine, which gives them slightly more of the original donation. Not all families have access to a bank account, which is why some aid is given through cash. If the team are acquiring goods to distribute, they will first obtain cash or pay the vendor directly through PayPal. All of these options incur fees which is why every donation is so important.
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The History of The Cruelty-Free Kitchen
- May 2024 -
The Cruelty-Free Kitchen was launched on GoFundMe when a friend of the Kitchen, Donna, set up the fundraiser for friends Amjad, Abood, Walid and Mahmoud. (The previous campaign and updates can be found here.)
They started a small kitchen with very few materials and began distributing meals to the hungry people, primarily children, in the neighbourhood.
It quickly began to expand, with more and more people showing up asking for a meal, desperate and hungry. More donations meant they bought more pans, more ingredients, and more happy children with warm meals for their families.
Further South, in Central Gaza, Mo, Walid's beloved cousin, lived in a tent camp and ran his project of the Cruelty-Free Kitchen, distributing water to the people he shared a camp with.
- July 2024 -
A couple of months later, the team was serving hundreds of people a day, and rice, peas, and lentils were given to the hundreds of families who desperately relied on the Kitchen to survive.
At this stage, a team from the World Central Kitchen visited the Kitchen and agreed to partner with them, meaning the team had easier access to ingredients and had the accreditation of a non-profit organisation that completes work across the world.
Around this time, the situation further deteriorated, and Mo began his bakery, using donations to buy flour and bake bread for the people in his camp, on top of the water he distributed for them.
- September 2024 -
As the year progressed, the need for the Kitchen only continued to rise. Displacement around the North continued to rise, pushing more people into the area, and the violence came towards their area, too. Despite the danger they faced every day and night, the team worked tirelessly, distributing hundreds upon thousands of meals at their local distribution point and at shelters nearby, like schools, where hundreds of people lived, starving.
Not only that, but they'd use donations for things that made a massive difference to the civilians nearby, like paying the local municipality waste collectors to clear the months of garbage that had accumulated and began spreading bugs and disease.
Mo continued to help the hundreds of people in his camp, distributing water, bread, treats for the children, and warm meals.
- October to November 2024 -
Unfortunately, things would only worsen for the team in North and Central Gaza.
On October 6, 2024, aid was stopped from entering the North. Suddenly, the small supply that stocked the nearby black markets thinned, and the number of hungry people showing up to the Kitchen grew. Before long, the Kitchen didn't have enough supplies to help the number of people, and they had the heartbreaking task of turning away whole groups of famished families without any food to give them.
With aid unable to come in through the North, it became difficult and dangerous for the World Central Kitchen to continue providing aid. This meant they lost the vital supply assistance as famine grew.
In Central Gaza, ingredients skyrocketed, meaning Mo paid extremely high prices for ingredients and couldn't distribute them to the camp every day. Still, he remained determined and continued providing good nutrition for his camp and all the sweet families who otherwise likely went without any nutritious food at all.
He also occasionally got sweet treats for the children in the camp, which did wonders for morale.
It was an extremely difficult time; the team faced unimaginable daily danger and still did their best to feed the neighbourhood. The weather began to turn, and families relied on the Kitchen more than ever as a warm meal helped relieve the cold temperatures.
Around this time, the original campaign owner, Donna, received a letter from the bank, condemning her from running the fundraiser any longer. Thankfully, I was in a position where I was able to extend a hand of assistance and set up this very page you are reading now.
- December 2024 -
As the end of 2024 drew close, the team continued working tirelessly, feeding hundreds a day at the distribution point. Still, the numbers pushed to the Kitchen from nearby areas meant the team struggled to meet the high number of hungry mouths. It was often very cold and rainy, meaning the team couldn't run anything at all. Even these days, the team ensured they gave their visitors some ingredients to go home with.
Prices in Central Gaza surged, with flour costing as much as $500 a bag. Unfortunately, these prices meant running the Kitchen in the camp was often difficult. However, Mo continued to do his best for all the people and animals around him.
- January 2025 -
In the New Year, the team ran at full capacity, distributing to hundreds daily at the distribution point and at multiple shelters a week. Danger and violence had increased around them, but morale began to lift as whispers of a ceasefire began to spread.
After the ceasefire was announced, the violence only increased, but the team continued operating every day that it was safe to do so. Spirits trepidatiously lifted as the ceasefire grew closer, and the team continued working right up to the day of the ceasefire.
- Post Ceasefire (January 19) -
The team continued distributing meals, feeding the thousands in the neighbourhood who still relied on them to survive. Though some aid has begun filtering into the area, the demand for the Kitchen shall remained high as people tried to navigate life with nothing to their name.
January 27 brought a monumental day, with the first time in history that Palestinians were allowed to return home. This was a significant moment in history and a source of great joy, as it brought the reunion of dear friends and cousins Walid and Mo. The two families, so beloved to each other, met after such a long time, and at long last, Mo was able to operate the Kitchen with the rest of the team.
- February 2025 -
Visitor numbers slowly began to drop, prompting the team to launch a new idea to help the community in a new way. By distributing food and financial aid, families were have the autonomy to cook for themselves and buy what they needed most.
As the cold and stormy weather raged on, the team began their new plan to create a camp, finding an ideal location and sourcing their tents.
- March 2025 -
The tents were bought and set up, but the ceasefire period ended, and humanitarian aid was blocked from the Strip once again. The violence quickly returned, killing over 400.
The original site of the Cruelty-Free Camp was destroyed by occupying forces, displacing its residents and forcing them to flee without any belongings.
The team reestablished the families closer than before, setting up the new location for the Cruelty-Free Camp on their doorstep. The team set up a water distribution point to help the families there and others close by.
Throughout Ramadan, the team worked hard to distribute cash and help make it a joyful experience for the many orphans who have so little.
For Eid, the team visited countless children in the neighbourhood to distribute cash gifts.
- April 2025 -
The team distributed food and juice for the children before agreeing to try to resume operations from the Kitchen.
The Kitchen resumes operations for its first day, delivering life-saving nutritious meals to families living in the camp and nearby.
-April to July 2025-
After successfully running meal and aid distribution, things begin to break down in the neighbourhood, meaning operations are reduced to a minimum. To best help survival, the team distribute a cash package at the beginning of each month to families trying to survive.
The army begins closing in on the area, distributing displacement orders and ramping up attacks on the area.
Some members of our team begin to fall ill as a result of malnutrition, leading to hospitalisation.
The water generator breaks down, meaning the team have to change to a local subscription based service for power. When this fails to provide, they are forced to repair the old generator and manage to resume operations.
The markets begin to run completely empty, and people begin to die of starvation. The team runs a small cooking set-up when possible, on average once a week, and continues to distribute vital cash.
The commission fee rises again, this time to 55%.
- July to October 2025 -
The situation escalates as the army encroaches further into the area. The team continue to do what they can to run food distribution and provide water for the community.
The team is repeatedly subject to near-misses, avoiding bullets and nearby strikes that devastate the area, and all members of our team suffer terrible losses of their family and loved ones.
As July turns to August, the violence only escalates, and it becomes harder to gather in groups to make and distribute meals.
Water becomes a necessity as the hottest time of year arrives, and water availability is scarce. On some days it's too dangerous to run water distribution and people have to go without.
As the days of food distribution reduce in frequency, famine ravages the strip and people are dying of starvation in increasing amounts. Food prices reach an all time high and commissions rise to 65%.
The team continue to do all they can for the children, including making them special treats like rice puddings, and giving them water to play in on hot days.
Many members of our team repeatedly fall ill and are hospitalised; from malnutrition, sickness and stress.
The army issues evacuation orders; followed by combat zone warnings and final warnings. Artillery shelling, bombings and booby-trapped robots all increase activity in the area that our team members live. One member is forced to flee his home with his young children and family. Thousands flee to the South and our Cruelty-Free Camp are one-by-one displaced to the South. Soon after, the corridor out of Gaza City is closed.
As the violence increases, the team are mostly forced to stay at home. Markets are barren and the streets are danger zones where anyone risks being shot or otherwise killed.
The location of the original Cruelty-Free Kitchen is destroyed by the occupation.
Debris rains into the homes of our team as drones drop booby-trapped explosives on their rooftops. The team member that was displaced is displaced again, and other members of our team send their families members elsewhere for safety. Homes take extensive damage and operations change to online transfers for the families in need of financial support.
A member of our team is injured by nearby bombings and has to go to the hospital for treatment. By the end of September, hundreds of donations are going straight to families via the Bank of Palestine.
-2nd Ceasefire (Oct 25 - Present) -
On the 10th October, 2025 at 12:00pm local time, a ceasefire was agreed between both parties.
Slowly but surely, families begin returning home from the South, and members of the Cruelty-Free Camp return to where they were living before.
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The Team
Please stay connected with the team for daily updates on their work by following them on X and @crueltyfreekitchengaza on Instagram!
Abood
Abood usually works at a local hospital as an accountant when he is not working tirelessly at the Kitchen or scouting the areas for hungry cats to feed. He has lived through hell throughout the war, losing hundreds of family members and surviving more horror than anyone should experience. He also cared for the local community and homeless animals, and he cared for his wife Wesam and two children until the very first day of the ceasefire when his wife gave birth to their third child, baby Khaled! Please make sure to follow him on X (@Cats2Save) and support his family's survival and evacuation here.
Amjad is a lifelong childhood friend of Walid, and works tirelessly at the Kitchen every day. When he is not helping out his community, he spends much of his time caring for the cats in the area, making sure to go around with food so they wouldn't starve. At home, he takes care of his children, and his nephew, the lone survivor of a strike during the war where Amjad's sister and her family were martyred. Follow him on X (@amjadabd1985) and support his survival and evacuation here.
Mo
Mo is the beloved cousin of Walid and was forcibly displaced numerous times during the war. He ended up separated from the rest of the team, eventually living in a camp near Deir al Balah for a long time. Inspired by his cousin, he set up his branch of the Kitchen, working to distribute water and, later, food to the tent camp he lived in. When not working to help others, he spends his time helping the many homeless cats around the area, something he did long before the conflict began. He has a wife, Sarah, and a young daughter, Maria, who endured so much throughout the war. Finally, they have reunited with the rest of the team in the North, so make sure to follow Mo on X (@SARAMoh69489245) and support his family to survive and rebuild their lives here.
Walid
Walid is a dear friend, a vital team member to whom the donations are sent, who then goes on to buy the Kitchen supplies. Before the war, Walid did everything he could to help and care for as many animals as possible. In his shelter, he had well over 100 cats and numerous other animals, too! Now, he works tirelessly for his neighbourhood every day and still has his Cat Shelter, which houses some beloved cats, though it's now damaged. At home, he has his wife, Ishraq, and three children, who also adore looking after animals. Walid posts daily updates about the Kitchen and the Cat Shelter, so follow him on X (@LoverHomeless) and support his fundraiser here.
These are the founders of the Cruelty-Free Kitchen, but many more people are involved in its success! Make sure to follow our team to stay up to date.
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Running Costs
~ Food Distribution Costs ~
Currently unavailable due to fall in donations
~ Financial Aid ~
Financial aid is the currently the only option to assist others that we can afford. Families are given cash or money via bank transfer at the beginning of each month, and as needed. Amounts range per person, per time. Amount varies from £5-10 per person to a greater amount (£100+) for large families or those with more complex needs (such as medical fees). Families are then visited again throughout the month and we do what we can to cater for their needs. Sometimes they will be taken to the store to buy their essentials, or the team will arrange for their medical fees to be paid.
Fees
The commission fee in Gaza is currently roughly 15-20% for exchanging for cash.
The fees are confusing, so I will include an example to help explain them. The team pays the access fee to access cash with the money in their account. The fee is so high due to the lack of ATMs that remain and the cruelty of the vendors who continue to increase it.
FeesExample (£100 Donation)Chuffed2-3% (see more)£95.01PayPal4.4%+ 30cents per transaction£90.74
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I'm honoured to run this campaign on behalf of my friends. Please consider donating any amount to help them continue their heroic work for as long as needed. Thank you so much for your time, and I hope you have a wonderful day!