Benvenuto nel Poliverso

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

2 mesi fa • •

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza
2 mesi fa • •

I told my friend JB earlier how I get access in Gaza to the money from my fundraising campaign.
🍉💸🇵🇸💸🇵🇸💸🍉

I think it could interest many people, so I’m copying my reply here.

🧵⬇️⬇️⬇️

Mohammed Shobair, 22 years old, from Gaza, posing in front of a flag of Palestine, doing the peace sign.

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Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

Donors pay the amount they want on Chuffed. Chuffed keeps the money for about 7 or 10 days, then they send it to Thomas—my fundraiser’s bank account. Then he sends it to me with PayPal. Thomas has been reliable, and he talks to me every day.
1/15

Many people trust Chuffed better than PayPal. If you’d like to send me money and you don’t mind using PayPal, we would avoid fees from Chuffed.
(22 October: I don’t use PayPal anymore)

Chuffed is ok too, otherwise.
2/15

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in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

Now I’ll explain how it works from my side as a citizen in Gaza. There are three main ways I can receive money:
3/15

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Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

1. PayPal— There is currently a withdrawal fee of about 15%. For example, if I have $2,000 in PayPal, after fees I receive $1,700 in my bank account at Bank of Palestine.
4/15

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Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

2. USDT (cryptocurrency)— This is also an option, but it requires a digital wallet and conversion into local currency.
5/15

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

3. International bank transfer (IBAN)— Money can be sent directly to my bank, but this also involves fees.
6/15

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

If I want to withdraw cash in Israeli shekels, the exchange rate fluctuates a lot. For example, $100 can equal 336–370 ILS, but due to fees and rates at local offices, you might only get about 210 ILS in cash for every $100, which is equivalent to about $62.
7/15

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in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

If you take it as a bank balance, it can be about $80. Overall, the effective withdrawal cost can be up to 38% (it was closer to 50% about a month ago).
8/15

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

Life here is extremely difficult. Most banks have been closed since the start of the war, and the Palestinian Monetary Authority and Ministry of Finance in Ramallah wanted to send new banknotes to Gaza, but Israel blocked it, aiming to create a cash crisis.
9/15

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Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

Two years ago, a lot of new banknotes entered Gaza, and those are the bills we mostly use in the market. Over time, the bills we have now have become worn out and less usable.
10/15

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

Many merchants here only accept bills that are clean, new, and in good condition. Old or damaged bills are often refused. For example, I had a 20-shekel bill, an old one, and I tried to buy something. The seller immediately returned it to me.
11/15

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

I walked around the market trying to use it, but no one would accept it.

I went back home frustrated and angry because that 20-shekel note was basically useless. 😅
12/15

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in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

I’m going to send you pictures of a 20-shekel note so you can see the difference between the old bills we struggle with now and the newer bills. It’s a small example, but it shows one of the daily difficulties we face here.
13/15

A “worn” 20-shekel note next to a new one.

A new 20-shekel note, that would be accepted by most merchants.

A “worn” 20-shekel note, that would be rejected by most merchants.

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

So, to withdraw or spend money, I have to work through these limited channels, and sometimes it only works if the campaign has significant amounts raised, e.g., in the thousands of USD.
14/15

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

I hope this helps explain the situation. If you want more details, I’m happy to clarify further.
15/15

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

If you can afford to donate, please send money to my Chuffed campaign, or directly to my PayPal account.
Without your precious help, I’m not sure I’ll still be alive in a few days.

Love ✌️

🔗 chuffed.org/project/mohshbairg…

🔗 (22 October: I don’t use PayPal anymore)

No shelter, no safety - Help Mohammed survive genocide in Gaza

My name is Thomas and I live in France and in the UK. I'm hosting Mohammed's campaign because Palestinians cannot host their own campaigns. If you've got any questions or if you'd like any proofs, I'm happy to provide you with these.

^Chuffed

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katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

How many of these local bank offices still exist? If people don't have one of them near or if it's too dangerous to get there, how do they turn donations into cash?

in reply to katzenberger

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to katzenberger • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger Bank branches are closed but local exchange offices are still being operated. They’re 2 different things.

The fees are incredibly high though.

@katzenberger

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Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger
✅🇪🇺 Available with us 🇪🇺✅
🇪🇺 Receive money from all EU countries 🇪🇺

Your transfer is safe with us.

✅ Instant cash delivery in Gaza and the south 🇵🇸

✅🥉Address:
🏦 Gaza - Al-Shifa Street, south of Hamid intersection

Contact the transfers department now via the following 👇📱

wa.me/972568818812
wa.me/972597202152

🔒 Follow us now through our private groups 👇
(🚩Telegram)
t.me/herzallahex

(🚩Whatsapp) chat.whatsapp.com/KcsAOC5Ae7HI…

حرز الله للصرافة والحوالات المالية

Business Account

^WhatsApp.com

@katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger
Herzalla Exchange & Money Transfers
With Herzalla, the prices are fire! 🔥🔥

🔴 Jordan transfers available
For every 100 Jordanian Dinar, you receive 🔥🔥
Shekels ⛔*Blue*⛔

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Delivery: Cash and bank transfers at the best prices

✅🥉 Address:
🏦 📍Gaza – Al-Shifa Street – South of Hamid Intersection
⛔📍 Note: There is a delivery point in the south

☎ Contact the transfers department now at:
📱 +972568818812
📱 +972597202152

@katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger
🔹 Receive your money instantly via PayPal with Herzalla Exchange & Money Transfers
💵 Reliable and secure transfers
⚡ Fast and safe money delivery

✅ Delivery: Cash at the best prices
✅🥉 Address:
🏦 📍 Gaza – Al-Shifa Street – South of Hamid Intersection

⛔📍 Note: There is a delivery point in the south

☎ Contact the transfers department now at:
📱 +972568818812
📱 +972597202152

@katzenberger

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katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

I see. Thank you for replying. So if I understood correctly, people transfer money to the accounts of owners of an "exchange office", and the offices hand out the money, withholding an arbitrary amount of "fees"?

in reply to katzenberger

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to katzenberger • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger Yes, exactly.

If you send me 10 USD, the exchange office will give me cash, but with a big fee: usually I get only 4 or 5 USD in cash out of the initial 10.
That’s how people here turn digital money into cash, it’s not perfect, but it’s what we have.

@katzenberger

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katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

One last question: in the past, I had been told that also merchants act as such "exchange offices". Was that correct, or are merchants and "exchange offices" usually different people?

in reply to katzenberger

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to katzenberger • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger Yes, that is correct. In many cases, merchants in Gaza do act like exchange offices too.

@katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger Let me explain: some well-known merchants in Gaza receive truck shipments through the Kerem Shalom crossing. Things like sugar, fruits, vegetables, cleaning supplies, coffee, etc. These goods usually come from the West Bank or even from Israel.

@katzenberger

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Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger The merchant in Gaza buys these goods for millions of shekels like 5 or 10 million. But because of the war, they can’t travel to the West Bank to pay in person, so they transfer digital balance to the supplier’s bank account.

@katzenberger

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in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger Then the goods arrive in Gaza, and the merchant sells them for cash. Let’s say he earns 20 million shekels in cash now he has a lot of physical money.

@katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger Later, the same merchant sells that cash to people and offices. People pay him in balance, and he gives them cash so he can use that balance again to buy new goods.

@katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 2 mesi fa • •

@katzenberger So yes, in Gaza, big merchants and exchange offices often work in the same way or even are the same people. It’s all one big cycle to keep things moving.

@katzenberger

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Greg Haas

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 1 settimana fa • •

@katzenberger I wonder how a fellow could become an “exchange office” and undercut those charging very high fees

@katzenberger

in reply to Greg Haas

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Greg Haas • 1 settimana fa • •

@izzaboo @katzenberger It would take the trust of your customers, a very very large quantity of Israeli shekel in cash, and the ability to do something out of PayPal money or USDT money or IBAN money, either in the West Bank, in Israel or in Egypt.

@Greg Haas @katzenberger

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

Greg Haas

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 1 settimana fa • •

@katzenberger Thank you for your reply! Ideas rolling around in my head about non-profit orgs being exchange offices somehow, with international resources. Surely there must be reasons it isn’t happening already. Or it is and I am unaware. It is all so far outside my world I probably have too much to learn.

There is something extra painful about such high fees, although surely money exchangers in Gaza need to survive too.

I budgeted a little money in my next paycheck to send to people who’ve asked on here. I wish more of it would get to where I will send it.

@katzenberger

in reply to Greg Haas

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Greg Haas • 1 settimana fa • •

@izzaboo @katzenberger They barely let any aid in. No food. No medicine. Only soldiers and bombs and explosive robots. And they arm gangs and militias.

Most international banks comply with the blockade imposed by the occupation, and they block IBAN transfers to Palestine. The cash crisis is intentional.

986 aid trucks
out of the scheduled 6,600 have
entered Gaza since 10 October*
*Source: Gaza Government Media Office

@Greg Haas @katzenberger

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James

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 1 settimana fa • •

15% fee, that's criminal 😣

in reply to James

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to James • 1 settimana fa • •

@subtypes I keep hearing stories about PayPal closing Palestinian accounts and confiscating their funds. I don't know if this is true, but I'm not taking any chances, which is why I no longer use PayPal.

@James

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Shervin

in reply to Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza • 1 settimana fa • •

Thank you so much, I was wondering a lot about this topic. I have more questions: Can you buy things or pay for services using PayPal or cryptocurrencies directly? Or do merchants insist on receiving banknotes?

in reply to Shervin

Mohammed Shobair 🍉 from Gaza

in reply to Shervin • 1 settimana fa • •

@shervin Merchants want cash. People rarely have access to the internet while in the market. No one wants to have money that relies on the internet or even electricity.

@Shervin

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