Latest news with #Gharib
Mada
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mada
Israel kills 31 aid seekers, injures 200 in mass shooting at Rafah distribution point
Thirty-one people were killed in the early hours of Sunday morning at an aid distribution point in Rafah, south Gaza, where Israeli forces once again opened fire on aid seekers waiting to pick up supplies. The mass shooting was the most violent yet at the Rafah site, where Israeli forces and aircraft have repeatedly shot at crowds of people since the site opened last week. Following almost three months of a total siege, the Rafah distribution site is one of several zones that Israel has opened to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a company based in the United States and endorsed by Israel as part of its plans to control aid distribution across the strip — a move Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed is necessary to prevent Hamas stealing aid. Mohamed Gharid was among the thousands of people who began to gather near Rafah late on Saturday night, waiting for the distribution zone's gates to open, he told Mada Masr. They spent the night, he said, and people slept in the streets or along the shore. At dawn, crowds began moving along a designated route to the distribution point, Gharib continued. Another eyewitness, who had traveled south from the Nuseirat camp to the coastal Mawasi region near Rafah in hopes of receiving food aid, said thousands of people were directed from Mawasi along a specific path leading to the distribution point. The US aid distribution point is located south of the Morag corridor, a zone between Rafah and Khan Younis that Israeli forces bulldozed and occupied in early April to separate the two governorates. As aid seekers proceeded along the designated path, an Israeli quadcopter appeared overhead, colliding with high-voltage power lines before crashing and falling into the crowd, Gharib recalled. Immediately afterward, heavy rounds of fire broke out in the direction of civilians. Many were killed or injured. More quadcopters soon swarmed the area, firing at civilians, while 'insanely' heavy artillery shelling also rang out, he said. The second eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described 'Israeli military vehicles coming out from all directions and opening heavy fire on the people.' 'The scene was horrific,' they continued. 'Drones and vehicles were firing everywhere. Many were killed and dozens were wounded.' Thirty-one people were killed in total, Gaza Government Media Office head Ismail Thawabta said in a statement on Sunday morning, while hospitals received more than 200 injured patients, 35 of them in critical condition, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. The ministry noted that medical services were severely strained by extreme overcrowding and a lack of resources at hospitals, which have not received new supplies since Israel imposed a full blockade on the strip three months ago. 'Shortages of surgical, operating and intensive care supplies have reached their worst,' the Sunday morning statement read. Ambulance services are also unable to access the Rafah distribution point, which is adjacent to the Morag militarized zone occupied by Israel. Last week, the civil defense agency said it had resorted to transporting the wounded and dead on animal-drawn carts or civilian vehicles. The second eyewitness described their efforts to get the injured to hospitals. 'We fell back while the bodies of the dead lay on the ground. We couldn't get close until the shooting subsided a little,' they said. 'Then people began carrying the dead onto carts.''Women were among those killed,' the eyewitness said. 'Two or three at a time were wrapped in blankets and taken away on carts.' The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operations in Gaza last week at sites where Palestinians are required to undergo security checks and interrogation by the Israeli military before being permitted to access rationed portions of aid supplies. Israeli forces have also carried out multiple arrests among aid seekers at the distribution sites situated near military zones dubbed by Israel as the Morag and Netsarim corridors. At the same time, the Occupation military has allowed international humanitarian organizations, such as the World Food Program, only limited access to the strip — restrictions the organization says have severely constrained its capacity to help those in need. Cases of malnutrition have surged since March, when Israel broke the ceasefire agreement and imposed a full blockade on Gaza to pressure Hamas into delivering all remaining prisoners held in its custody outside of the ceasefire starvation spreads, incidents of theft have also become widespread, making neighborhoods, bakeries and warehouses increasingly unsafe.
Gulf Today
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Emirates Literature Foundation explores comics
Comics and graphic novels are a storytelling powerhouse, blending text and illustration in a way that immerses readers like no other medium can. Yet, despite their ability to captivate and challenge perspectives, they're still too often dismissed as 'not real literature.' With Middle East Film & Comic Con approaching this April, it's the perfect time to celebrate the power of visual storytelling. Ahlam Bolooki, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Literature Foundation, remarks: 'Comics and graphic novels aren't just about superheroes. They're a dynamic storytelling medium, just as rich and impactful as prose, and just as effortlessly versatile, which is why they're such a powerful tool for social commentary. For those wanting to dip their toes into this varied medium, here are a few of the best titles published in recent years by local authors and illustrators – outside of the Marvel and DC universes: Shubeik Lubeik, written and illustrated by Deena Mohamed In a world where wishes of varying degrees of power can be bought and sold, three separate, but interlinked, stories begin to unfold, exploring the hidden dangers of getting everything you ever hoped for. With fluid storytelling, tongue-in-cheek humour, and expressive art, Mohamed displays an effortless mastery of the form. No surprise, then, that the online series turned into a published trilogy (in Arabic) and single title (English, translated by Mohamed herself). The Egyptian comic creator earned multiple awards and rave reviews — including Winner of the Best Graphic Novel and the Grand Prix of the Cairo Comix Festival, the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation, Eisner Award and Hugo Award nominations and places on several End of Year 'Best of' lists. Raiiken by Mo Abedin: Combining Japanese and Roman mythology, Raiiken follows a boy prophesied to be the destroyer of all worlds in a quest to become the saviour of all mankind. An epic saga of trust, the Emirati storyteller's rich character development has been a work-in-progress since Abedin was 15 – and has gained a huge international following over the years. It Won't Always Be Like This, written and illustrated by Malaka Gharib While Gharib's first graphic memoir explores her experience of growing up in America while also half-Filipino and half-Egyptian, her second novel hones in on the summers she spent in Egypt. This more specialised focus allows Gharib to use her loose cartoonist style to dig deeper into what it means to belong both to a family and a wider culture, all without sacrificing any of her signature sense of humour and heart.
Gulf Today
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Emirates Literature Foundation explores Arab comics
Comics and graphic novels are a storytelling powerhouse, blending text and illustration in a way that immerses readers like no other medium can. Yet, despite their ability to captivate and challenge perspectives, they're still too often dismissed as 'not real literature.' With Middle East Film & Comic Con approaching this April, it's the perfect time to celebrate the power of visual storytelling. Far from being a lesser art form, comics are both a gateway to reading and a genre that stands strong on its own, delivering narratives that are just as rich, complex, and impactful as traditional prose. Ahlam Bolooki, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Literature Foundation, remarks: 'Comics and graphic novels aren't just about superheroes. They're a dynamic storytelling medium, just as rich and impactful as prose, and just as effortlessly versatile, which is why they're such a powerful tool for social commentary. It's for this reason that comic art is emerging as a viable medium not just in the West and the Far East, but here in the Arab world. "From Egypt and Lebanon to the UAE, it's wonderful to see authors grappling with nuanced experiences across the region through such a bold and innovative art form.' For those wanting to dip their toes into this varied medium, here are a few of the best titles published in recent years by local authors and illustrators – outside of the Marvel and DC universes: Shubeik Lubeik, written and illustrated by Deena Mohamed In a world where wishes of varying degrees of power can be bought and sold, three separate, but interlinked, stories begin to unfold, exploring the hidden dangers of getting everything you ever hoped for. With fluid storytelling, tongue-in-cheek humour, and expressive art, Mohamed displays an effortless mastery of the form. No surprise, then, that the online series turned into a published trilogy (in Arabic) and single title (English, translated by Mohamed herself). The Egyptian comic creator earned multiple awards and rave reviews — including Winner of the Best Graphic Novel and the Grand Prix of the Cairo Comix Festival, the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation, Eisner Award and Hugo Award nominations and places on several End of Year 'Best of' lists. Raiiken by Mo Abedin Combining Japanese and Roman mythology, Raiiken follows a boy prophesied to be the destroyer of all worlds in a quest to become the saviour of all mankind. An epic saga of trust, the Emirati storyteller's rich character development has been a work-in-progress since Abedin was 15 – and has gained a huge international following over the years. It Won't Always Be Like This, written and illustrated by Malaka Gharib While Gharib's first graphic memoir explores her experience of growing up in America while also half-Filipino and half-Egyptian, her second novel hones in on the summers she spent in Egypt. This more specialised focus allows Gharib to use her loose cartoonist style to dig deeper into what it means to belong both to a family and a wider culture, all without sacrificing any of her signature sense of humour and heart. Squire, written by Nadia Shammas and illustrated by Sara Alfageeh A young girl signs up to become a knight, only to discover that the stories she's been told about the war-torn empire she lives in may not be entirely true. Set in an alternate Middle Eastern and North African fantasy setting, Shammas and Alfageeh have created an expansive world reminiscent of Avatar the Last Airbender — right down to the plucky cast of teenage characters. Shammas' writing draws on complex themes, while Alfageeh's dynamic art style lends a sweeping, timeless feel to every panel and spread. About the Emirates Literature Foundation: The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives. Established in 2013 by Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a love for literature, with a focus on the Arabic language. In line with the National Reading Policy of the UAE, the Foundation has implemented several long-term projects including the First Chapter, the School Librarian of the Year Award, Kateb Maktub, and From the Inside Out, as well as conducting year-round student education programmes, book clubs and mentorship programmes. The Foundation's previous initiatives included the 2020 International Literary Festivals Conference, the 2017 Dubai International Publishing Conference and the 2016 Dubai Translation Conference. The Foundation is in official relations with UNESCO and is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE's premier literary festival.
