Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
13 November 2023 | 11:50 CAT
3-min read

Picture: Eye on Palestine

In the Palestine Report with Moulana Ebrahim Moosa this morning, the human cost of war in Palestine is discussed. Moulana Moosa provides a harrowing account of the unfolding war in the Gaza Strip, giving details about the alarming developments affecting hospitals and residents.

As the war on Gaza continues into the 38^th day, there are no words left to describe the utter destruction and devastation. There is incomprehensible pain and sadness beyond imagination. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Seeing and Most Merciful. Even though we may feel hopeless and helpless, we must remain steadfast, keep making Du’a and increasing ibaadah. Du’a is indeed the weapon of a believer, and we can only ask Allah for help.

Allah says in the Qur’aan:

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّۢ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍۢ فَلَا رَآدَّ لِفَضْلِهِۦ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (١٠٧)

“and ‘If Allah afflicts you with harm, none can remove it besides Him. And if He intends good for you, then none can prevent His grace. He bestows His grace on those of His bondsmen whom He pleases and He is the Most-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’” (Surah Yunus, 107).

Gaza hospitals under siege, food shortages, people migrating on foot, and the man who shrouds the martyrs amid continuous bombardment

Moulana Moosa begins by emphasising the stark reality: “It has become a battle for hospitals, and very many hospitals in Israeli crosshairs were completely shut down due to the situation.”

The interview unveils the grim impact on healthcare infrastructure, with 22 hospitals rendered inoperable due to Israeli bombing and electricity cuts. Facilities like Kamal Adwan Hospital, Al-Quds Hospital, and the focal point, Shifa Hospital, have been forced to shut down amid chaotic scenes.

“Israeli snipers continue to shoot at anybody seen in the grounds of the hospital, and there’s also sniper attacks on people who are inside the hospital itself,” Moulana Moosa said.

Reports emerge of the shelling of displaced individuals attempting to leave the hospital complex, adding to the distressing scenes around Shifa Hospital. Moulana Moosa reports, “People who tried to leave on Sunday morning, 40 displaced people, tried to leave the main gate but were shelled as soon as they left that particular area.” The interview paints a grim picture of people trapped in the hospital complex and martyred bodies in front of the hospital, with ambulances denied access for burials.

Moulana Moosa notes the shortage of food in the Gaza Strip, calling it a war of starvation. There is no food. People are starving. There is no water, no fuel and no medical supplies.

There are thousands of Gazans walking on foot from the North to the South of the strip. People. Muslims. Families holding on to a few belongings, walking amongst the dead, surrounded by bombed buildings of grey devastation.

“A number of destroyed buildings, large number of bodies, body parts strewn across the road,” Moulana Moosa says.

As Moosa details the challenges faced by those attempting to move from the north to the south, he highlights the increased Israeli presence on the ground, noting, “The Israelis are certainly now operating very much openly on the ground in the Gaza Strip.”

Despite the hardships, resistance efforts persist, with Osama Hamdan of Hamas asserting, “The resistance leadership has alternatives and plans, and they still have flexibility.” Moulana Moosa also reports that Hamdan said in a statement yesterday that 160 Israeli tanks and vehicles were destroyed.

A concrete decision has not been made with regards to an “appropriate final formula” according to Hamas’s statement yesterday.

The conversation shifts to revelations about the Israeli army’s role on October 7th, with Moulana Moosa addressing a viral clip showing Israeli helicopters firing on civilians. He underscores the need to merge reports to gain a clearer picture: “We have to merge together the reports of what Hamas has been saying about what they planned on that particular day and these reports, and now we get a clearer picture of what actually occurred.”

He raises questions about the authenticity of graphic images distributed by Israel, suggesting a possible Israeli role in casualties: “The Israeli government’s most horrific photos of charred corpses…are actually Israeli inflicted casualties.” He highlights the need for an independent inquiry, acknowledging that the likelihood of such an investigation is uncertain.

Abu Sahir al-Maghari and his team, who are based at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, are responsible for shrouding the deceased in Gaza. When people asked him about what it has been like since the beginning of the war, al-Maghari began crying.

Al-Maghari’s poignant words reveal the toll of the war on him: “I’ve never experienced such a difficult time in my life.”

Despite the challenges, he remains committed to providing families with a dignified farewell, expressing, “My heart breaks as I collect the children’s torn limbs and put them in a shroud.”

We can take solace in the face of this heart break from the following:

The war and the victory of the Muslims have already been written.

The people who pass away are martyrs.

The oppressors will be answerable on the day of Qiyaamah.

وَيَجْعَلُ ٱلرِّجْسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ ١٠٠

and He will bring His wrath upon those who are unmindful. (Surah Yunus, 100)

Abu Huraira (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If Allah wills good for someone, He afflicts him with trials.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5645

Dua.

حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَ كِيلُ

“Allah (alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the best Protector.”

(Surah Ali Imran, 173)

Listen to the Palestine Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.