Latest news with #Saifi
Middle East Eye
22-07-2025
- General
- Middle East Eye
First thing after the ceasefire? Find the dead, say Gaza's Palestinians
As ceasefire talks continue to make headlines, a sense of cautious hope is spreading among Palestinians in Gaza. This optimism has sparked a new social media trend, with young people sharing answers to one poignant question: What's the first thing you'll do once a ceasefire happens? While some replies ranged from 'getting a good sleep' to 'eating meat for the first time,' the majority were unexpectedly sombre. 'I want to go look for [my daughter] Rital at Dar Al-Arqam School,' wrote Doha al-Saifi, a resident of Gaza who lost three of her four children, including her 13-year-old daughter Rital, whose body remains missing. Saifi was visiting her displaced sister at Dar al-Arqam School, which had been turned into a shelter, in the Tuffah neighbourhood east of Gaza City, when Israeli fighter jets bombed the site on 3 April. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'My four-year-old son Osama's head was severed, we didn't find it, so he was buried without it. My other son, Nour, who was 10, was buried whole, thank God. But Rital, we never found her body,' Saifi told Middle East Eye. 'My 21-year-old niece, Rime, is still missing. My sister, whom I was visiting, was killed along with her three daughters. I was seriously wounded in the arm and lost my lower jaw.' 'We are only waiting for it so we can search for our loved ones and retrieve their bodies' - Doha al-Saifi, Gaza City resident The attack, which occurred one day after Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, claimed the lives of at least 31 Palestinians, most of them women and children. 'The first ceasefire was supposed to be a happy ending to all our suffering,' Saifi said. 'But we are only waiting for it so we can search for our loved ones and retrieve their bodies from beneath the rubble.' Under Saifi's post, dozens of Palestinian echoed the same longing; to search for their loved ones under the rubble and grant them a dignified burial. Doaa Monir Abu al-Kas commented: 'I want to search for my father's body, may God have mercy on him, at my family's home, destroyed by carpet bombing.' She continued: 'And I want to visit the graves of my three brothers, Mohammed, Saif al-Din, and Abdullah, along with my cousins on both sides, and our loved ones among our friends and my family's friends.' In another post, Amna Saleh, a resident of Gaza, wrote: 'I want to visit my brother's grave in the Martyrs' Cemetery [in northern Gaza], which we haven't been able to reach since the very first hour of the war." While Ahmed Nasser, a digital creator from Gaza, posted: 'If God willing, I will search for the grave of my brother who was martyred during the war.' Securing the dead Amid relentless Israeli bombardment and the military's obstruction of search and rescue efforts, thousands of Palestinians across the devastated Gaza Strip have been reported missing since 7 October 2023. According to the United Nations and human rights organisations, an estimated 10,000 to 11,000 Palestinians are missing, most presumed dead under the rubble. 'People in Gaza have forgotten what joy feels like, there is simply no space left for happiness or relief after all the suffering we endure' - Abed Aboriash, Palestinian journalist This has left thousands of parents, spouses, and children unable to confirm the fate of their loved ones, trapped in a limbo they believe can only end once a ceasefire is reached and search teams are permitted to operate. But even those who have managed to bury their loved ones remain constantly worried, as intense Israeli attacks on cemeteries leave families in constant fear that graves may be desecrated or destroyed. Joining the social media trend, Palestinian journalist Abed Aboriash posted: 'What's the first thing you'll do once a ceasefire happens? For me, I want to move my father's grave, may God have mercy on him, from the south to the north... What about you?' Originally from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, Abd al-Hakim Abu Riash was displaced with his family to several locations, including Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Amid worsening displacement conditions and lack of adequate medical care, his elderly father passed away in their makeshift tent in Khan Younis on 14 September 2024. Prevented by the Israeli military from returning to northern Gaza, the family was forced to bury him in a newly established makeshift cemetery near Nasser Hospital. 'The cemetery was bulldozed by the Israeli occupation army. Whenever there is an attack [there], we go to the cemetery to rebuild the grave,' Aboriash told MEE. I was buried alive beneath the rubble and awoke in a 'graveyard' Read More » 'As soon as the ceasefire happens, I will move my father's body to the Beit Lahia cemetery, where he was born in northern Gaza.' Aboriash added that a ceasefire will not be a moment of celebration, but rather the beginning of heavier responsibilities, ones that Palestinians are currently unable to carry out. 'The life of a Palestinian living in Gaza City under the ongoing genocide has become so limited that all thoughts now revolve solely around finding food and water,' he explained. 'People in Gaza have forgotten what joy feels like, there is simply no space left for happiness or relief after all the suffering we endure.' Earlier this month, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas intensified in Doha. While negotiations are ongoing, there are still no clear signs that a deal is imminent. In the meantime, Israel has intensified its bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing scores of people each day. The months-long blockade remains in place, worsening widespread starvation that has claimed the lives of at least 20 people in just two days. Excluding the missing, Israeli forces have killed over 59,000 Palestinian since October 2023, including at least 17,000 children.
NDTV
04-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
8 Snakes Rescued From UP House 2 Days After Villagers Kill 52 Serpents
Meerut: Two days after the residents of Samouli village in Meerut district killed 52 snakes that crawled out of the courtyard of a farmer's house, forest officials rescued eight snakes from the same house under the Daurala police station limits, officials said on Wednesday. According to the forest department, the non-venomous snakes were safely removed by a rescue team after they were found at the residence of Mahfooz Saifi on Tuesday night. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rajesh Kumar told PTI on Wednesday that the rescued snakes appeared to be of non-venomous species. "It is likely that the snakes laid eggs in the house earlier, which are now hatching in phases," Kumar said. Aditya Tiwari, a herpetologist who runs an NGO, said the snakes likely belonged to the checkered keelback species, a water snake. "This species is non-venomous, and a female can lay up to 40-50 eggs at a time," he said. The recurring incidents have triggered panic in the village, with locals demanding a permanent solution to the issue. The forest department has urged residents not to harm snakes and to report such sightings to the authorities immediately. Officials also reminded people that killing snakes is a punishable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, and strict action will be taken against the violators. On Sunday, the village witnessed a startling sight when more than 100 snakes crawled out of the courtyard of Saifi's house, triggering panic in the area. After the initial shock, the villagers joined Saifi and his family and killed as many as 52 snakes, which they buried in a pit. The DFO told PTI on Monday that a team was dispatched to the spot for investigation after a video of the incident went viral on social media. The snakes turned out to be creatures protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, he said.
Hindustan Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Meerut: 8 snakes rescued from house where villagers killed 52 serpents on Sunday
Meerut , Two days after the residents of Samouli village in Meerut district killed 52 snakes that crawled out of the courtyard of a farmer's house, forest officials rescued eight snakes from the same house under the Daurala police station limits, officials said on Wednesday. According to the forest department, the non-venomous snakes were safely removed by a rescue team after they were found at the residence of Mahfooz Saifi on Tuesday night. Divisional Forest Officer Rajesh Kumar told PTI on Wednesday that the rescued snakes appeared to be of non-venomous species. 'It is likely that the snakes laid eggs in the house earlier, which are now hatching in phases,' Kumar said. Aditya Tiwari, a herpetologist who runs an NGO, said the snakes likely belonged to the checkered keelback species, a water snake. 'This species is non-venomous, and a female can lay up to 40-50 eggs at a time,' he said. The recurring incidents have triggered panic in the village, with locals demanding a permanent solution to the issue. The forest department has urged residents not to harm snakes and to report such sightings to the authorities immediately. Officials also reminded people that killing snakes is a punishable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, and strict action will be taken against the violators. On Sunday, the village witnessed a startling sight when more than 100 snakes crawled out of the courtyard of Saifi's house, triggering panic in the area. After the initial shock, the villagers joined Saifi and his family and killed as many as 52 snakes, which they buried in a pit. The DFO told PTI on Monday that a team was dispatched to the spot for investigation after a video of the incident went viral on social media. The snakes turned out to be creatures protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, he said.
New Indian Express
03-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Accused in 2023 train fire wanted to erase sins by killing non-believers in Kerala: NIA
KOCHI: Sharukh Saifi, the accused in the 2023 train arson case, committed the act believing that killing kafirs (non-believers) was the shortest route to absolution for his sins, the National Investigation Agency has said. The submission was filed in response to the bail plea moved by Saifi in NIA court last month citing delay in the trial's commencement. The court dismissed the plea. Saifi was arrested for pouring petrol on passengers on the Alappuzha-Kannur Express and torching the coach in April 2023 resulting in the death of three people. In his plea, Saifi claimed he was arrested on April 6, 2023, without being informed of the grounds for the arrest in writing. He argued that the autopsy report stated that people died after jumping from the train rather than from the fire. Since further investigation is ongoing, he noted there was no likelihood of the trial commencing in the near future. However, the NIA, as quoted in the court order, said the New Delhi native felt remorse for his lifestyle and wanted to become 'a true Muslim'. For this, he turned to online platforms to learn about violent jihad as propagated by radical Islamic preachers. 'He decided that the shortest way to absolution for his sins was through the killing of kafirs (non-believers), and decided to commit a crime of massacre and terror,' it said. 'Accused committed crime to attain salvation through violent jihad' The agency said Saifi chose to carry out his intended jihad in a place he would not be easily identified, and boarded a train to Kerala from Delhi on March 31, 2023. He arrived at Shoranur railway station on April 2, 2023, where he purchased petrol from a pump in a bottle and a lighter from a bunker shop in front of the railway station. Concealing the petrol and the lighter in his black backpack, Saifi boarded the train without a valid ticket, the NIA said.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Indian Express
Man killed as school bus rams into bike in Gurgaon; driver arrested
A motorcyclist was killed after a school bus that was allegedly speeding rammed into his bike in Sector 52 on Monday, the Gurgaon police said. Officers said Mohammad Mustafa, 51, was navigating a U-turn on his motorcycle at a gap in the road median near Wazirabad, a busy area in the city, around 3 pm when the accident occurred. He was accompanied by his brother, Arif Saifi, 48, who was riding a separate motorcycle. Saifi filed the police complaint which led to registration of the First Information Report (FIR). The brothers are originally from Meerut. While the deceased stayed in Sangam Vihar, Delhi, with his family, Saifi lives in Devilal Colony in Gurgaon's Sector 7. The police said the bus, which belonged to Manav Rachna International School in Sector 46, was ferrying 12 students when it hit Mustafa. The bus driver, Munesh Kumar, 42, failed to apply the brakes on time, which led to the fatal accident, as per a Gurgaon police spokesperson. The brothers, both welders by profession, were heading to a construction site from one of their two workshops in Wazirabad at the time of the incident. Following the collision, Mustafa was rushed to a private hospital in Sector 51 but he was declared dead on arrival, the police added. Officers said the driver did not flee the scene after the accident but helped Saifi to take Mustafa to the hospital. Additionally, the driver promptly informed the school administration about the incident, and later appeared for questioning before his arrest, the spokesperson said. The students on the bus were sent home after arranging alternative transportation. 'Yes, the driver did help us take the body to the hospital, but the wheels of the bus had gone over my brother's chest. Hence the complaint. The driver was at fault by speeding and then not slowing down soon enough,' Saifi said. The FIR was lodged at the Sector 53 police station, invoking sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 281 (rash driving or riding on public way) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Inspector Sandeep Kumar, Station House Officer, Sector 53 police station, said the bus was seized, and the accused will be presented before a magistrate soon. School authorities told the police that the bus involved in the accident was operated by a private contractor, sources said. Further, they assured to extend full cooperation for the investigation. The Indian Express was unable to reach the school authorities for a comment.
