An Islamic Relief aid worker* in Gaza recounts how he spent the first 4 days of a humanitarian pause during the unprecedented escalation in Gaza.
As the humanitarian pause goes on, I am writing to tell you how we spent the last 4 days, and of my hopes for everlasting peace in this land. This short period without airstrikes and bombing has given everyone in Gaza a chance to breathe. But the relief is short lived and when we’ll next have the chance to rest, only God knows.
A humanitarian pause for a few days is meaningless compared to the dire situation facing displaced people and the huge destruction to infrastructure and services in Gaza that this crisis has caused.
The first day of the pause was a Friday. Fridays are part of the weekend in Gaza and usually families gather, spending the day in Jummah prayers, having lunch together, and doing other activities together. I used to go to my parents’ house every Friday to enjoy mum’s cooking and see my sisters. So, on the first day of the pause, we decided to try and spend the day as we would before the escalation.
We managed to get some chicken at the market – mum insists the home-raised chickens you can buy there are better than the genetically modified mass-produced chickens we get from the supermarkets. We can’t argue, but there aren’t any other options anyway as food supplies are running extremely low. My brother-in-law and I began cutting some logs and started a fire while my mum and sisters prepared the chicken. We enjoyed one of the best lunches we’ve had since the start of this war. It was a moment to remember.
Dust, destruction and donkeys on the road to Rafah
On the second day, my wife wanted to see her parents who are staying with a relative in Rafah, about 30km away. I checked my car and found that I had enough fuel left, so I reckoned we had to make the trip. My wife missed her family a great deal.
During the drive, I could see destruction everywhere. I could not drive 100 metres without seeing a destroyed house or building – all within the southern area that was assigned as ‘safe’. After a while, I could see people standing in very long queue. The line was around 1 kilometre long and consisted of people all carrying blue gas cylinders. As I drove I couldn’t but notice this blue line extending on and on. It was a tragic scene. All these people were struggling to get few kilos of gas. The small amount allowed into Gaza will never be enough to meet this demand, which is almost beyond imagination at this point.
As I drove, the road was full of carts pulled by horses and donkeys. It was not the Gaza I was used to and I was devastated to see how badly the Gaza Strip has been damaged. We also drove past lines of cars waiting for fuel and I could see people pushing their cars towards petrol stations in a bid to save every last drop of fuel they could.
The skies were full of dust, smoke and the smell of destruction. “Dad, why can’t we see the road clearly?” my daughter asked. I told her “The skies are still full of pollution from the bombing and now everybody is burning fire to prepare food. All that produces pollution that makes the road look unclear”.
We arrived at my wife parents’ place. As I climbed the stairs behind her and our kids, I could hear loud crying from upstairs. Everyone was overwhelmed by emotion over this reunion. It has been a long time since we last met. They told us stories full of terror about their not-so-safe passage south.… I will share these stories in another blog if I’m still able to write to you.
We spent Saturday telling each other how we’ve passed our days, how we’re managing to refill water, comparing the prices of food. We tell our stories and listen to theirs. It was overwhelming seeing them again. In the evening, as we made our way back to my parents’ place, we could see that the lines of people waiting for fuel did not seem to be any shorter than before. People were just waiting there in the hope of having a chance to get some fuel. Some had waited for 2 days without any luck.
Tales of destruction in Gaza City
I spent Sunday calling my friends, especially those who were still in Gaza City and had not been able to evacuate. I have a friend that we hadn’t heard from for around 10 days. I heard news that the area where he lives had been invaded by tanks and that hundreds of people had died there. We kept calling him for days, but we couldn’t reach him.
Our hopes of finding him alive were diminishing every day.
One of our friends who was still in Gaza called me and told me he would walk to our friend’s house to check on him. He couldn’t go by car because the tanks had demolished around 80% of the city’s streets. “It looks as if they were deliberately driving over the pavements. Every electricity pole and all the cables are destroyed. The central park in Gaza City is upside down. They have uprooted all the trees and tore up the benches,” my friend explained.
I asked him if he’d managed to go to the area where I lived. “No,” he said. “The roads were totally destroyed”. He did, however, managed to find our missing friend; alive, but unable to communicate with anyone as his mobile phone could not connect to the network.
‘Everything we loved in this place has gone’
Today is the fourth day and it’s been raining since morning. Like thousands of displaced people we have no winter clothes, so we’re staying inside. Many people have no roofs over their heads.
Everyone in my house has the flu – in a crowded house it is easily transmitted. Diseases are spreading everywhere, and people cannot find medication or health care. People can’t find food, fuel… even pavements to walk on.
Everything we loved in this place is gone. We have been collectively punished by a brutal force that does not care about humanitarian laws.
Please help Islamic Relief support people in desperate need in Gaza: Donate to our Palestine Emergency Appeal now.
*This blog is anonymised to protect the safety and security of our colleague. Read the other blogs in this series here.
**On Monday 27 November, it was announced that the humanitarian pause would be extended for two days.
Editor’s note: This blog was submitted amid a fast-changing and deepening crisis. The information was correct as of the morning of Wednesday 29 November.
new director
Director of Network and Resource Development
Adnan joined Islamic Relief in 2004 as a regional fundraiser in the UK. He worked in multiple roles over 10 years at Islamic Relief UK, including setting up the first digital team and leading the growth of digital fundraising and engagement. Adnan also led numerous fundraising and marketing campaigns, which played a significant part in the growth of Islamic Relief UK.
Having moved to Islamic Relief Worldwide in 2014, Adnan has held different roles that have helped grow Islamic Relief’s global digital footprint into new geographic territories, supporting Islamic Relief members with their digital and marketing growth as well as developing new products and initiatives for the Islamic Relief family.
Adnan graduated in Industrial Design and Technology from Loughborough University. He has since completed an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from Durham University and a Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Institute of Data and Marketing.
Nadeem Azhar
General Counsel
Nadeem joined Islamic Relief Worldwide in September 2022. He has worked in the charitable sector for over a decade.
He studied Modern History and Politics at Manchester University, and at the University of Law in London before qualifying as a solicitor in 2011.
Nadeem is an experienced corporate, commercial and governance lawyer, having worked with various faith-based and grant making charities as well those in health and education settings. He was a partner at a law firm in London before moving in-house where he focused on setting up and restructuring charities and social enterprises.
Most recently, Nadeem was Lead Counsel at Mind, a leading mental health charity, where he co-authored a new federation agreement, revamped legal processes, and played a major role in developing its strategic and fundraising partnerships.
Nadeem has been a charity trustee for the Seafarers Charity, as well as many grant-making bodies and theatre companies.
Adnan Hafiz
Director of Network and Resource Development
Adnan joined Islamic Relief in 2004 as a regional fundraiser in the UK. He worked in multiple roles over 10 years at Islamic Relief UK, including setting up the first digital team and leading the growth of digital fundraising and engagement. Adnan also led numerous fundraising and marketing campaigns, which played a significant part in the growth of Islamic Relief UK.
Having moved to Islamic Relief Worldwide in 2014, Adnan has held different roles that have helped grow Islamic Relief’s global digital footprint into new geographic territories, supporting Islamic Relief members with their digital and marketing growth as well as developing new products and initiatives for the Islamic Relief family.
Adnan graduated in Industrial Design and Technology from Loughborough University. He has since completed an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from Durham University and a Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Institute of Data and Marketing.
Javed Akhtar
Director of Finance
Javed Akhtar has more than a decade of experience at Islamic Relief, having worked in a similar role between 2003-2014. In that role he strove to implement wide-ranging financial and accounting processes which aided in the transparent nature in which Islamic Relief now operates.
Javed also has diverse experience across the private sector, having worked at American chemicals and pharmaceutical giant DuPont, shipping firm FedEX and technology consultancy company Accenture. In all his roles, he prioritises using the latest technologies to improve monitoring and reporting at every level. Javed’s commitment to embracing digital end-to-end technology, enhancing accountability to our stakeholders and promoting financial transparency is ensuring that we remain at the forefront of financial developments in the sector.
By training, Javed is a chartered accountant with a Master’s degree in NGO Management with Charity Accounting and Financial Management from Cass Business School.
Affan Cheema
Director of International Programmes
Affan Cheema is an experienced leader who has spent 25 years working in the international aid sector on poverty eradication in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. He has worked in fast onset emergencies, protracted crisis and development environments whilst working for Islamic Relief Worldwide and Care International. He is also a trustee of South West International Development Network (SWIDN).
Through his career Affan has held numerous roles including institutional fundraising, programme and grant management, and programme quality assurance. Affan’s leadership has helped Islamic Relief Worldwide secure the highly coveted Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), seen as the sector’s premier benchmark for operational excellence.
Affan completed his BA in Economics and Geography from University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies) and his MSc in Development Administration and Planning from the University of Bristol. He is PRINCE2 qualified, is a keen sportsman and recently co-edited a book entitled -Islam and International Development: Insights for working with Muslim Communities-.
Dr Hossam Said
Managing Director, Humanitarian Academy for Development (HAD)
For nearly three decades Dr Hossam has provided the strategic vision to manage, lead and develop a range of international humanitarian interventions around the world.
At the start of his career, Dr Hossam served on the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Medical Syndicate, before moving to Islamic Relief Worldwide to manage the core global business activities as International Programmes Director.
During this time the organisation increased its global reach, gaining both domestic and international repute and credibility. Dr Hossam has also served on the Islamic Relief Worldwide Board of Management and Executive Committee for the past 15 years; sharing responsibility for strategic organisational development and the change management process, whilst forging strong relationships with many other charities.
Dr Hossam gained an MBA from Aston Business School in 2004 and graduated as a Medical Doctor from Cairo University in 1981.
Martin Cottingham
Director of External Relations and Advocacy
Martin Cottingham joined Islamic Relief in 2012 as IRUK Media Relations Manager, and was appointed Head of Communications in 2015 before taking up his current position as Director of External Relations and Advocacy for Islamic Relief Worldwide.
Martin has helped Islamic Relief to increase its mainstream media profile and expand its campaigning work, producing hard-hitting advocacy reports on floods in Pakistan (2011) famine in Somalia (2012) disaster risk reduction (2013) and aid to Afghanistan (2014). He has over 20 years’ experience working in media, communications and marketing roles for international development and environmental charities.
Martin graduated from the University of London with a degree in English and Drama (1982-85) then trained as a journalist with a postgraduate diploma at City University (1986-87). He has previously worked for Christian Aid as Editor of Christian Aid News and Media Relations Manager (1988-97) for Oxfam as Regional Campaigns Manager (1997-2000) and at the Soil Association as Marketing Director (2001-2006), as well as working for a wide range of organisations as a freelance writer, researcher and communications consultant.
Tufail Hussain
Director of Islamic Relief UK
Tufail Hussain has 17 years’ experience in the humanitarian and development sector, leading on marketing and fundraising campaigns for several organisations before joining Islamic Relief UK in 2016 as Deputy Director. Tufail was appointed Director of Islamic Relief UK in 2019 and in 2021 provided valuable leadership as interim CEO of Islamic Relief Worldwide.
Tufail is driven by a passion for empowering disadvantaged youth and mentors a number of young people. He also works to strengthen engagement between British Muslims and wider society. Under his leadership, Islamic Relief UK has significantly increased its income and developed successful partnerships with communities across the country. He has travelled around the world to raise awareness of major emergencies such as the Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan crises and the floods in Pakistan and Sudan.
A father to 5 daughters and a son, Tufail is also a sports enthusiast and passionate Liverpool FC supporter. Tufail has run the London Marathon twice, raising over £35,000 for humanitarian causes.
Before joining Islamic Relief he was CEO of Orphans in Need, where he oversaw a new strategy that increased income from £2 million to £9 million in 3 years and opened up new UK and international offices. Tufail is also a trustee of the Muslim Charities Forum and a Director of TIC International (Islamic Relief Worldwide’s clothes recycling and trading arm).
Waseem Ahmad
Chief Executive Officer
Waseem Ahmad joined the Islamic Relief family over 24 years ago, serving as Programme Officer in the Balochistan province of south-western Pakistan before becoming Head of Programmes in Pakistan. Waseem then moved to Oxfam and Tearfund before returning to Islamic Relief to establish our mission in Malawi. Later serving as Head of Programme Funding and Partnerships, Waseem led the response to major crises across the globe, including the East Africa drought, Pakistan earthquake and the Indian Ocean Tsunami.
Waseem then served for nearly 6 years as our Director of International Programmes, during which time the charity secured and retained the coveted Core Humanitarian Standard certification in recognition of the quality of our programming. He was appointed CEO of Islamic Relief in May 2021.
With a special interest in community mobilisation and infrastructure, Waseem received an MSc in Project Planning and Management from the University of Bradford, as well as an MSc in Economics from Arid Agriculture University in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Waseem has also worked for Lepra Health in Action and is a member of the International Civil Society Centre’s Board of Trustees. The father-of-3 enjoys walking and playing football, and is a keen birdwatcher.