The Gift of the Givers has announced that its office head in Gaza, Ahmed Abbasi, and his brother were killed by Zionist Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Thursday morning.
According to the organisation, Abassi and his brother were directly targeted by the IDF while returning home from morning prayer.
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The humanitarian aid organisation said Abbasi, a father of three and described as a ‘kind, gentle, warm human being’, was appointed the head of Gift of the Givers in the region and has served the people of Gaza with distinction since 2013.
‘He was responsible for implementing multiple projects, including the care of orphans, widows, the elderly and the ill,’ Gift of the Givers added.
‘He delivered water through our desalination plants, distributed food parcels, provided hot meals and upgraded damaged homes.’
Head of Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, expressed his gratitude, saying Abbasi served the organisation and the people of Gaza for 40 consecutive days during the ongoing war.
In the statement, the organisation also expressed its full support of the call by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Qatar that South Africa has referred Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an investigation into war crimes in Gaza.
‘We also fully support the motion in parliament today for the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador with immediate effect and the severing of diplomatic ties with the Apartheid State of Israel. We want to add that Israel should be held accountable to pay war reparation in the rebuilding of Gaza and compensate every single family they have decimated.’
Grieving the loss of his friend, Sooliman said, ‘To Ahmed Abbasi, to the Almighty we belong, and to Him is our return. Rest in peace, my friend; you have served with distinction’.
Read the full statement here.
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Picture: Gift of the Givers / Facebook