Learn more about our director and team, the passionate individuals working together to bring hope, care and opportunity to children in Gaza.
Dr. David Hasan
Founder & Medical Director of Children's Village Gaza
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Dr. Hasan is a scientist neurosurgeon with extensive expertise in managing cerebrovascular diseases and skull base tumors. He is fellowship-trained in open cerebrovascular, endovascular, and skull base neurosurgery, with experience treating over 3,000 brain aneurysms using innovative techniques, including awake surgery.​
An international authority in cerebrovascular research, Dr. Hasan has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications indexed on PubMed, received multiple NIH grants, and serves on the editorial boards of several high-impact medical and surgical journals.
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Since October 7, he has devoted himself to delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and fostering hope between Palestinians and Israelis.
Dr. Hasan was among the first surgeons to enter Gaza after the onset of the conflict, completing two medical missions since then. His efforts have facilitated the delivery of millions of dollars’ worth of medications, food, surgical equipment, dialysis units, neonatal incubators, salaries for Gaza’s neurosurgeons, and other essential resources.
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Dr. Hasan also established the only coalition of international NGOs—including Palestinian, Israeli, American, and European organizations—dedicated to addressing Gaza’s humanitarian needs. He currently leads a multi-governmental initiative to build the Gaza Children’s Village, which will provide shelter, education, and healthcare for 20,000 orphans, unaccompanied minors, and children with complex medical needs. The village will feature housing, a school with a peace-oriented curriculum, the first dedicated children’s field hospital, a rehabilitation center, and recreational spaces.
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Additionally, Dr. Hasan co-founded Lumflies, a platform designed to foster collaboration and hope between Palestinians and Israelis, working toward a brighter future.
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"My body left Gaza but my heart is still in Gaza with Gaza's orphans, unaccompanied minors and the children with complex medical needs." - Dr. David Hasan
Rina Aley-Raz Naor
A seasoned social impact entrepreneur, Rina possesses a unique blend of tech expertise and a deep commitment to humanitarian response and community building. She holds a first degree in Computer Science and Math, and at the age of 40, she earned a second degree with honors in Gerontology, deciding to focus on a "do good, do well" approach to her work. With over two decades in the tech industry, she has a proven track record of management and leadership across a variety of environments, from large corporations to small startups. For ten of those years, she served as a country manager for a leading global strategy and product house, building strategies to successfully enter new markets and generating millions in revenue in new domains. An entrepreneur at heart, she also founded three startups, leveraging this hands-on experience to build and scale new ventures. Leveraging this robust skill set, her focus has shifted to foundational aid. Following the war, she volunteered to build and lead a medical prescription center for thousands of evacuees from Southern Israel.
This experience in establishing a critical support system from the ground up, while also fostering connections between Jewish and Arab communities, reinforced her belief in building sustainable and inclusive programs for vulnerable populations.Her unique background brings an invaluable perspective to the board. As a committed board member, she provides strategic oversight and a mission-driven approach to ensure the organization achieves its goals and delivers the greatest possible impact on the ground.
SHACHAR ZAHAVI
Mr. Shachar Zahavi is the founder and CEO of SmartAID, a global humanitarian organization that delivers innovative, technology driven solutions to disaster affected communities. He began his career as the Director of International Disaster Relief for the national Israeli based organization, LATET, leading their global response teams.
In 2000, he founded IsraAID, and for 17 years Mr. Zahavi’s leadership, IsraAID ultimately grew into one of the largest humanitarian aid groups based in Israel, assisting more than 60 countriesin a variety of disasters and complex emergencies.
Building on the lessons learned from the Syrian Refugee Crisis which Mr. Zahavi led he then decided to launch SmartAID, an organization embodying bridging between technology and humanitarian aid. SmartAID supplies innovative technologies and solutions to disaster affected communities and has operated in over 45 countries with offices in the USA, Australia and Israel.
Following the 7 October massacre and subsequent war, SmartAID teams partnered with the Kibbutz Movement and with the national local municipalities in Israel to support displaced Israelis. In parallel, in January 2024, SmartAID has been actively providing humanitarian relief efforts for civilians in Gaza. More information can be found at: www.smartaid.org
Surraya MINHAS
Surraya Minhas brings a distinguished track record of leadership and project management to The Gaza Children's Village. With a versatile background in healthcare operations and humanitarian work, she offers the strategic insight and hands-on experience needed to lead meaningful initiatives. Surraya holds a Master’s in Healthcare Administration and currently serves as President of HERO Global, a nonprofit actively providing aid on the ground in Gaza.
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In just four months, she coordinated the delivery of 20 water trucks, organized iftar meals for 1,000 civilians, distributed Ramadan baskets to 60 families, and hosted two joy-filled days of treats and activities for children in North Gaza.
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Prior to her leadership at HERO Global, Surraya cultivated trusted relationships with local com-munities. She implemented projects such as constructing a bathroom facility for displaced civilians ​​
and delivering five water trucks. She also distributed olive oil and fish meals, organized two fun days with diaper distributions, and established a solar-powered water system for sustainable access. Her unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for underserved populations aligns seamlessly with the mission of The Gaza Children's Village.
KAITLIN YODER
Kaitlin Yoder is a marketing and business development professional with extensive experience in nonprofit communications, impact reporting, and community engagement. She earned her Master’s degree in Intercultural Business Communication and Marketing in Edinburgh, Scotland and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Development and Enterprise Leadership from the University of Iowa.
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As part of the founding team of Gaza Children’s Village, Kaitlin played a key role in establishing the organization’s fundraising and communications infrastructure, including donation systems, marketing, and design. She has contributed across multiple areas, from administration and data analysis to donor engagement and brand development, helping lay the foundation for GCV’s growth.
Kaitlin specializes in developing strategies that strengthen brand awareness, expand donor engagement, and build sustainable growth for mission-driven organizations. With a background spanning marketing, fundraising, and operational support, she has worked closely with nonprofits and grassroots initiatives to turn research and strategy into real-world impact.
Garrick Hoichman
Garrick Hoichman is a fifth-year medical student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a strong passion for humanitarian work. He supports the Academy of Hope by helping manage our social media presence and amplifying the voices of Gaza’s children. Through his medical training and commitment to service, Garrick brings both compassion and creativity to our mission.
Asi Garbarz
Asi Garbarz brings extensive experience in community building and social activism. He holds a degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Haifa and currently heads the expansion division at Koach Laovdim workers union.
His background includes serving as a representative for the Jewish Agency and Hashomer Hatzair in South America, and he serves as a lecturer at the Forum for Regional Thinking.For the past several years he has established and co-directed Seeds of Partnership, and in the past year, Asi has been part of the founding team of the orphan village in Gaza, led by Dr. David Hasan, with a focus on partnership and resource management.