With the number of civilian casualties rising, Islamic organisations, across the city, want to reach out to the victims of the conflict.
The sound of gunfire resonates over Gaza City, and it is not an unfamiliar sound. For decades Israelis, and Palestinian factions have traded bullets and mortars, and now with the conflict intensifying thousands of civilians — on both sides — are once again caught in the crossfire.
And with the number of civilian casualties rising, Islamic organisations, across the city, want to reach out to the victims of the conflict. But that is easier said than done, as the Israeli government has granted no official permission to accept foreign aid.
Mahmood Daryabadi, general secretary, All India Ulema Council, says, "We want to aid needy citizens in whatever way we can, but it's difficult to provide any concrete aid, as it is an international matter."
He also says that the Council is soon going to forward a memorandum — through the Mumbai police — to the Israeli government, appealing for peace and to open up Gaza to foreign aid. While the organisation agrees that the long-standing conflict should be resolved, targeting innocent civilians, they say, is unacceptable.
Aslam Gazi, the Maharashtra spokesperson for Jamate-islami-hind, feels that although no aid has been sent across, the need of the hour is to resolve issues at the policy level.
"As far as financial aid is concerned, the neighbouring Arab countries are quite capable of delivering that. We need to take the Palestinian issue to an international forum, demanding the annulment of various sanctions imposed by Israel." he says, adding that it was time these sanctions were modified and the United Nations looked into the matter and passed a resolution on the same."
Islamic organisations came together and staged a peaceful protest at Azad Maidan on Monday, where they strongly condemned the attacks, calling it an attack on humanity, as a whole.
Farid Shaikh, president, Aman Committee, an organisation that participated in the Azad Maidan rally, says, "Presently we are praying for peace in Gaza, as that's the only thing we can offer at the moment. We want to condemn the attacks, but we are as yet undecided on how to go about doing so."
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