Gaza: Eight humanitarian workers from the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM) were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, last Saturday. MAPIM chief executive officer Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby reported that the attack occurred at 1.30 pm as the workers were setting up tents for families displaced by ongoing Israeli attacks.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sani condemned the attack as a war crime against civilians engaged in humanitarian work. He called on Malaysians to perform the Qunut Nazilah prayer for the safety of those in Gaza. Sani expressed deep shock and sadness over the incident, noting that three of the deceased were media personnel involved in humanitarian missions. He identified the eight workers as Palestinians: Mahmoud Yahya Al-Sarraj, Bilal Hossam Oqeila, Mahmoud Samir Oselim, Mahmoud Khaled Oselim, Mohammed Al-Ghafeer, Hazem Ghareeb, Bilal Abu Matar, and Ahmad Hamad.
Sani stressed that the attack not only claimed lives but also disrupted critical humanitarian operations in Gaza. Despite the loss of committed personnel, including a close media colleague, MAPIM remains dedicated to its mission, having already set up 1,000 tents for displaced victims in Gaza. He emphasized that the attack violated international law and the Geneva Conventions, and called for immediate action from the international community to halt the violence and ensure justice for the victims.
MAPIM president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid urged the United Nations and the global community to take decisive action against Israel for war crimes against humanitarian workers. He called for a ceasefire and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid in Gaza to fulfill basic needs. He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and highlighted that this was not the first instance of Israel targeting humanitarian workers, with many personnel previously killed during conflicts in Gaza.
MAPIM has called on the international community to oppose injustice and ensure accountability for Israel’s ongoing acts of violence and aggression.