Mazayen Al-Ibl: A festival of history, culture and camel beauty

Israel's relentless aggression against the Gaza Strip has now stretched over six months, and shows no sign of abating despite international calls for a ceasefire.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of violence against Palestinians.

At that time, the Israeli regime said attacking Gaza had two goals: eliminating Hamas and bringing back the hostages taken by the resistance group to Gaza. None of them have been achieved so far.

About 130 of the 250 Israeli captives taken during Operation Al-Aqsa Storm are still in Gaza after a provisional truce deal in December saw the exchange of a number of prisoners between the two sides.

Death toll

The conflict in Gaza has taken a devastating toll on Palestinians, with over 33,200 people, including 13,800 children, having lost their lives in 180 days of war, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

On top of that, around 76,000 people have been wounded – about four out of every 100 people in Gaza. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said this week some 1,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both of their legs.

A record-breaking 176 UN staff members and seven foreign aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October 7.

The Israeli army has killed the largest number of journalists of any modern conflict and detained more than 24. More than 140 journalists have been killed during the six months of war in the Israeli military's raids, bombardments and missile attacks across the Gaza Strip.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened day by day as the Israeli army continues to prevent aid from reaching the region, resulting in starvation being utilized as a tactic of warfare as over a million are at risk of starvation, with international groups warning of an “imminent” famine.

At least 27 Palestinians have already died from malnutrition and dehydration, according to international NGOs.

Displacement

More than 80 percent of Gaza’s population (Over 1.9 million Palestinians) have been intentionally displaced as the Israeli military ordered Palestinians to “go south” from the start of the war.

Some 1.4 million people are believed to be sheltering in Rafah, a small city on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt which is being bombarded by the Israeli forces every day as they have left no safe zone for the Palestinians to live.

Infrastructure damage

The estimated $18.5 billion in damage has affected public service infrastructure, resulting in 26 million tons of debris and rubble.

Over 290,000 housing units, equivalent to 62 percent of all homes in Gaza, have been damaged or destroyed by the war, leaving more than a million people homeless.

Only a fraction of hospitals, 10 out of 36, are operational following severe damage, leading to overwhelming strain on their limited resources.

Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza, has been left severely damaged and burned after enduring a relentless two-week-long siege. The compound, which witnessed the loss of at least 400 lives and the arrest of hundreds, now faces a dire situation.

With an acute shortage of medicine and healthcare professionals on the brink of exhaustion and starvation, the majority of patients in Gaza are unable to receive the treatment they desperately need.

The scarcity of resources has forced medical teams to carry out operations and amputations without the availability of anesthetic, further exacerbating the already dire circumstances.

Political resolutions

On March 6, South Africa filed an “urgent request” with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and requested for additional provisional measures issued on January 26.

In January, the ICJ ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel described the genocide allegation as baseless.

On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution, calling for a halt to all arms sales to Israel, and for the regime to be held accountable for possible war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Moreover, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution last month, demanding an “immediate ceasefire” for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The resolution is the first to be approved by the council after three previous attempts during the past five months of war were vetoed by the US.

Meanwhile, during the months of war, protests around the world have been held in support of Palestine, calling for an immediate ceasefire and halt to arms sales to Israel.

Qatar and Kuwait have banned any use of their airspace and air bases for attacks against Iran amid heightened tensions between Iran and the Israeli regime following an Israeli attack early this month on an Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria.

Reports on Saturday indicated that both Qatar and Kuwait had issued directives to the United States stressing that the US military will not be allowed to use air bases in the two countries for carrying out any potential airstrikes on Iran.

Qatar and Kuwait have also indicated that their airspace will not be available for any military action against Iran.

The US has military aircraft at the Ali Al Salem Air Base and Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait. The Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is also the largest US air base in the West Asia region.

The directives issued by Iran’s two Arab neighbors come amid reports showing that Iran is preparing to respond to an Israeli airstrike that killed two of its senior military commanders in its consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1.

Washington has urged Iran to deescalate while saying that it will defend Israel in case it is attacked.

Iran, which has no direct relations with the US, has called on regional Arab countries to advise the US not to interfere if Israel is attacked.

Countries have been wary of a major confrontation in the region more than six months into an Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip.

Reports show they have already limited the ability of the US to use their airspace and air bases for attacks on resistance groups that are allied with Iran and have been attacking Israeli and US interests in the region since the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Hundreds of strangers became mourners as they came together to pay their respects to a Dubai-based expat who died days after accepting Islam. 

Daria Kotsarenko, who was just 29, passed away in Dubai on Friday after converting to Islam on March 25. Her sudden demise is believed to have been caused by a heart attack.

According to Faris Al Hammadi, a Dubai imam and Islamic content creator, Daria had first visited Dubai three years ago, where she showed a genuine curiosity about the local culture and religion. This led her to conduct extensive research, ask questions, and delve deeper into her search for knowledge.

After her initial visit, Daria explored other countries before returning to Dubai, where she embraced Islam.

The motivational speaker shared: "Even before she embraced Islam, Daria was known for her modesty. She led a virtuous life, devoid of any haram relationships, and dressed modestly. She abstained from alcohol and other prohibited activities."

The imam further praised her by stating, "Her Islam was hassan," indicating that her acceptance of Islam and adherence to its principles were commendable.

The woman had no family or relatives in the country. However, hundreds of people — both Emiratis and expatriates — turned up as she was laid to rest in Dubai’s Al Qusais Cemetery.

The news of Daria's passing brought sadness to residents, both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Messages of condolence and sympathy flooded the Emirates, accompanied by a sense of rejoicing for her. The community found solace in the fact that she passed away during the blessed month of Ramadan, shortly after her conversion to Islam.

"Oh God, she died after converting to Islam when she was 29 years old. She went to God and her paper was pure white,” said @Saad_turkmeni on X. Another person @LuayPrince commented, “May God have mercy on her. Congratulations to her on winning the true path. May God grant her Paradise.”

The imam in his viral video also praised those who played a role in her journey to Islam, highlighting the support and teachings she received from individuals who remained steadfast even after her untimely death.

Massive crowd

Scores of Emiratis and expats turned up at Al Qusais cemetery mosque to offer funeral prayers for the woman on Friday, as seen in the photos shared by janaza_uae. Daria's story had touched many, leading to a massive crowd at the funeral prayers for her on Friday.

The woman also had no family or relatives in Dubai, janaza_uae said in a post on X on Thursday, prompting an outpouring of grief, love, and support.

Here are photos of the crowd during her funeral, as shared on X:

Daria arrived in the UAE as a tourist and eventually started looking for a job, according to several social media sources. During her search, she encountered not only career opportunities but also the beauty of Islam.

A widely shared document indicated that Darya was a Christian who converted to Islam in Dubai on March 25. Her death was believed to have been caused by a heart attack. As a new Muslim in Ramadan, she was fasting when she died.