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Observer
22-07-2025
- General
- Observer
Al Alya Mosque: A landmark embodies depth of Islamic heritage
A'RUSTAQ: Al Alya Mosque in the Wilayat of Al Rustaq, Al Batinah South Governorate, stands as one of the most prominent religious and historical landmarks in the Sultanate of Oman. It carries profound spiritual, intellectual and architectural significance, reflecting the depth of Islamic heritage that has characterised the region for centuries. The mosque dates back to the era of Imam Nasser bin Murshid al Yaarubi in the 17th century. Located in the heart of Al Alya Village, approximately 800 metres from Al Rustaq Fort, the mosque occupies a central position, serving residents for prayers and social gatherings. Built on elevated ground about six metres above the falaj (traditional irrigation channel), it is surrounded by diverse orchards — some of which are endowed as waqf (religious endowment), such as the Al Furudh orchard to the south and the Al Jahal orchard to the east, highlighting the mosque's economic and social importance in the community. Eng Ahmed bin Saif al Mazrouei, one of the caretakers of the mosque's endowment, explained that the mosque holds significant endowed assets, including 47 water shares in Falaj Al Maysar, valued at approximately RO 94,000, as well as orchards containing over 553 palm trees and agricultural plots, with an estimated total value of RO 166,000. In a statement, Al Mazrouei added that the mosque was historically used to distribute zakat (alms) and food supplies to eligible villagers during religious occasions such as Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha. It also served as a venue for weddings and funerals until recently, when these events were moved to Sablat Al Alya. The mosque dates back to the era of Imam Nasser bin Murshid al Yaarubi in the 17th century. — ONA The mosque was a gathering place for community leaders, locally called 'Ahl Al Hall wal Aqd,' to discuss village affairs and host visits by imams and governors. It was also a site for reconciliation meetings and judicial proceedings. A designated area within the mosque provided drinking water through traditional clay vessels (jihal), filled with water from Falaj Al Maysar and hung in their designated spots. Eng Al Mazrouei emphasised that the mosque was not merely a place of worship but also a distinguished centre of learning and social life. Several scholars and shaikhs studied there, underscoring its historical role as a leading educational and communal institution in Al Rustaq. The mosque measures 21 metres in length and 12 metres in width, featuring 10 columns that divide the prayer hall into six longitudinal and three transverse sections. A central courtyard (4 x 3.5 metres) was historically used for ablution and heating. A well beneath the mosque, likely connected to the falaj channel, may have served ablution purposes. The mihrab (prayer niche) is two metres wide and four metres high, adorned with simple yet elegant inscriptions bearing the Shahada (Islamic testimony of faith) on multiple levels. Recent restoration work expanded the mihrab, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. Originally, the mosque had three entrances — two on the eastern side and one on the northern side. However, after being designated for Friday prayers, a new southern entrance was added for the imam and people with disabilities, while the northern door was closed. — ONA
News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Crush At Gaza Aid Site Kills At Least 20, GHF Blames Armed Agitators
The GHF, which is supported by Israel, said 19 people were trampled and one fatally stabbed during the crush at one of its centres in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in what the U.S.-backed group said was a crowd surge instigated by armed agitators. The GHF, which is supported by Israel, said 19 people were trampled and one fatally stabbed during the crush at one of its centres in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. 'We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd – armed and affiliated with Hamas – deliberately fomented the unrest," GHF said in a statement. Hamas rejected the GHF allegation as 'false and misleading", saying GHF guards and Israeli soldiers sprayed people with pepper gas and opened fire. GHF said Hamas' account was 'blatantly false". 'At no point was tear gas deployed, nor were shots fired into the crowd. Limited use of pepper spray was deployed, only to safeguard additional loss of life," GHF said in a written response to Reuters via e-mail. 'Today's incident is part of a larger pattern of Hamas trying to undermine and ultimately end GHF. It is no coincidence that this incident occurred during ceasefire negotiations, where Hamas continues to demand that GHF cease operations." Witnesses told Reuters that guards at the site sprayed pepper gas at them after they had locked the gates to the centre, trapping them between the gates and the outer wire-fence. 'People kept gathering and pressuring each other; when people pushed each other…those who couldn't stand fell under the people and were crushed," said eyewitness Mahmoud Fojo, 21, who was hurt in the stampede. 'Some people started jumping over the netted fence and got wounded. We were injured, and God saved us. We were under the people and we said the Shahada (death prayers). We thought we were dying, finished," he added. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on Hamas and eyewitness accounts. Palestinian health officials told Reuters that 21 people had died of suffocation at the site. One medic said lots of people had been crammed into a small space and had been crushed. On Tuesday, the U.N. rights office in Geneva said it had recorded at least 875 killings within the past six weeks in the vicinity of aid sites and food convoys in Gaza – the majority of them close to GHF distribution points. Most of those deaths were caused by gunfire that locals have blamed on the Israeli military. The military has acknowledged that Palestinian civilians were harmed near aid distribution centres, saying that Israeli forces had been issued new instructions with 'lessons learned". The GHF uses private U.S. security and logistics companies to get supplies into Gaza, largely bypassing a U.N.-led system that Israel alleges has let Hamas-led militants loot aid shipments intended for civilians. Hamas denies the accusation. The U.N. has called the GHF's model unsafe and a breach of humanitarian impartiality standards – an allegation GHF has denied. Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, accused the GHF on Wednesday of gross mismanagement. 'People who flock in their thousands (to GHF sites) are hungry and exhausted, and they get squeezed into narrow places, amid shortages of aid and the absence of organization and discipline by the GHF," he told Reuters. The war in Gaza, triggered in October 2023 by a deadly Hamas attack on Israel, has displaced almost all of the territory's population and led to widespread hunger and privation. ISRAELI ARMY ROAD Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had finished paving a new road in southern Gaza separating several towns east of Khan Younis from the rest of the territory in an effort to disrupt Hamas operations. Palestinians see the road, which extends Israeli control, as a way to put pressure on Hamas in ongoing ceasefire talks, which started on July 6 and are being brokered by Arab mediators Egypt and Qatar with the backing of the United States. Palestinian sources close to the negotiations said a breakthrough had not yet been reached on any of the main issues. Hamas said it rejected an Israeli demand to keep at least 40% of Gaza under its control as part of any deal. Hamas also demanded the dismantlement of the GHF and the reinstatement of a U.N.-led aid delivery mechanism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war will end once Hamas is disarmed and removed from Gaza. Gaza local health authorities said Israeli military strikes have killed at least 87 people across the enclave in the past 24 hours. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, by Israeli tallies. (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters) Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments Location : Palestine First Published: July 17, 2025, 07:29 IST News world Crush At Gaza Aid Site Kills At Least 20, GHF Blames Armed Agitators Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Business Recorder
16-07-2025
- Business Recorder
Crush at Gaza aid site kills at least 20
CAIRO/JERUSALEM: At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in what the US-backed group said was a crowd surge instigated by armed agitators. The GHF, which is supported by Israel, said 19 people were trampled and one fatally stabbed during the crush at one of its centres in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. 'We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd – armed and affiliated with Hamas – deliberately fomented the unrest,' GHF said in a statement. Hamas rejected the GHF allegation as 'false and misleading', saying GHF guards and Israeli soldiers sprayed people with pepper gas and opened fire. GHF said Hamas' account was 'blatantly false'. 'At no point was tear gas deployed, nor were shots fired into the crowd. Limited use of pepper spray was deployed, only to safeguard additional loss of life,' GHF said in a written response to Reuters via e-mail. 'Today's incident is part of a larger pattern of Hamas trying to undermine and ultimately end GHF. It is no coincidence that this incident occurred during ceasefire negotiations, where Hamas continues to demand that GHF cease operations.' Witnesses told Reuters that guards at the site sprayed pepper gas at them after they had locked the gates to the centre, trapping them between the gates and the outer wire-fence. 'People kept gathering and pressuring each other; when people pushed each who couldn't stand fell under the people and were crushed,' said eyewitness Mahmoud Fojo, 21, who was hurt in the stampede. 'Some people started jumping over the netted fence and got wounded. We were injured, and God saved us. We were under the people and we said the Shahada (death prayers). We thought we were dying, finished,' he added. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on Hamas and eyewitness accounts. Palestinian health officials told Reuters that 21 people had died of suffocation at the site. One medic said lots of people had been crammed into a small space and had been crushed. On Tuesday, the UN rights office in Geneva said it had recorded at least 875 killings within the past six weeks in the vicinity of aid sites and food convoys in Gaza - the majority of them close to GHF distribution points.
Time Magazine
16-07-2025
- Health
- Time Magazine
At Least 20 Killed in Gaza Aid Site Stampede
At least 20 people were killed in a stampede at an aid distribution site in Gaza on Wednesday, according to Gaza health officials and the U.S.-backed aid group operating the site. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly events near aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-based organization operating with Israeli support. GHF was designated lead distributor of aid in Gaza in late May amid international pressure over Israel's months-long blockade, which had pushed the enclave to the edge of famine. The death toll of Palestinians killed near GHF aid hubs has now reached nearly 700, according to United Nations figures released on Tuesday. The GHF claimed the stampede, which took place on its distribution hub in Khan Younis, was intentionally caused by agitators in the crowd. The organization reported 19 people were trampled and one person was fatally stabbed during what it described as a 'chaotic and dangerous surge.' 'We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd – armed and affiliated with Hamas – deliberately fomented the unrest,' GHF said, adding that it recovered at least one firearm during the incident. Gaza's Health Ministry disputed GHF's version of events of what prompted the stampede, calling the statement 'false and misleading.' 'This crime claimed the lives of 21 martyrs this morning, including 15 who died from suffocation and six who were shot with live ammunition, in addition to many others who were injured,' the Health Ministry statement read. The ministry also accused GHF of operating outside humanitarian norms, saying it 'does not adhere to any professional or ethical standards of humanitarian work.' The Health Ministry has alleged that GHF staff, which consists of armed private security personnel, and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have fired directly upon people collecting aid. TIME has reached out to the GHF and the IDF for comment. The Israeli military has declined to comment publicly on the incident, referring questions back to the foundation. Witnesses said guards at the site used pepper spray after locking the gates, trapping people between the gates and the perimeter fence. Other reports from the scene allege that access to the aid center was delayed or blocked, causing panic among those gathered. 'People kept gathering and pressuring each other; when people pushed each who couldn't stand fell under the people and were crushed," Mahmoud Fojo told Reuters. "Some people started jumping over the netted fence and got wounded. We were injured, and God saved us. We were under the people and we said the Shahada (death prayers). We thought we were dying, finished," the eyewitness continued. In a response to the New York Times, the organization said it had used a 'limited' amount of pepper spray, but 'only to safeguard additional loss of life.' GHF and its distribution sites have come under heavy criticism since operations began in May. The day after aid hubs in Gaza opened, one Palestinian was killed and another 48 injured, which appeared to be as a result of Israeli gunfire according to the U.N. Critics have also raised concerns that the placement of GHF aid centers, mostly in southern and central Gaza, may be contributing to the long-term displacement of civilians from the north, where Israeli military operations have continued. Despite the scale of distribution, the UN has warned that aid provided through GHF represents only a fraction of what is needed to stave off starvation for Gaza's population of more than two million.
Reuters
16-07-2025
- Reuters
Crush at Gaza aid site kills at least 20, GHF blames armed agitators
CAIRO/JERUSALEM, July 16 (Reuters) - At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in what the U.S.-backed group said was a crowd surge instigated by armed agitators. The GHF, which is supported by Israel, said 19 people were trampled and one fatally stabbed during the crush at one of its centres in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. "We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd – armed and affiliated with Hamas – deliberately fomented the unrest," GHF said in a statement. Hamas rejected the GHF allegation as "false and misleading", saying GHF guards and Israeli soldiers sprayed people with pepper gas and opened fire. GHF said Hamas' account was "blatantly false". "At no point was tear gas deployed, nor were shots fired into the crowd. Limited use of pepper spray was deployed, only to safeguard additional loss of life," GHF said in a written response to Reuters via e-mail. "Today's incident is part of a larger pattern of Hamas trying to undermine and ultimately end GHF. It is no coincidence that this incident occurred during ceasefire negotiations, where Hamas continues to demand that GHF cease operations." Witnesses told Reuters that guards at the site sprayed pepper gas at them after they had locked the gates to the centre, trapping them between the gates and the outer wire-fence. 'People kept gathering and pressuring each other; when people pushed each who couldn't stand fell under the people and were crushed," said eyewitness Mahmoud Fojo, 21, who was hurt in the stampede. "Some people started jumping over the netted fence and got wounded. We were injured, and God saved us. We were under the people and we said the Shahada (death prayers). We thought we were dying, finished," he added. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on Hamas and eyewitness accounts. Palestinian health officials told Reuters that 21 people had died of suffocation at the site. One medic said lots of people had been crammed into a small space and had been crushed. On Tuesday, the U.N. rights office in Geneva said it had recorded at least 875 killings, opens new tab within the past six weeks in the vicinity of aid sites and food convoys in Gaza - the majority of them close to GHF distribution points. Most of those deaths were caused by gunfire that locals have blamed on the Israeli military. The military has acknowledged that Palestinian civilians were harmed near aid distribution centres, saying that Israeli forces had been issued new instructions with "lessons learned". The GHF uses private U.S. security and logistics companies to get supplies into Gaza, largely bypassing a U.N.-led system that Israel alleges has let Hamas-led militants loot aid shipments intended for civilians. Hamas denies the accusation. The U.N. has called the GHF's model unsafe and a breach of humanitarian impartiality standards - an allegation GHF has denied. Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, accused the GHF on Wednesday of gross mismanagement. "People who flock in their thousands (to GHF sites) are hungry and exhausted, and they get squeezed into narrow places, amid shortages of aid and the absence of organization and discipline by the GHF," he told Reuters. The war in Gaza, triggered in October 2023 by a deadly Hamas attack on Israel, has displaced almost all of the territory's population and led to widespread hunger and privation. Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had finished paving a new road in southern Gaza separating several towns east of Khan Younis from the rest of the territory in an effort to disrupt Hamas operations. Palestinians see the road, which extends Israeli control, as a way to put pressure on Hamas in ongoing ceasefire talks, which started on July 6 and are being brokered by Arab mediators Egypt and Qatar with the backing of the United States. Palestinian sources close to the negotiations said a breakthrough had not yet been reached on any of the main issues. Hamas said it rejected an Israeli demand to keep at least 40% of Gaza under its control as part of any deal. Hamas also demanded the dismantlement of the GHF and the reinstatement of a U.N.-led aid delivery mechanism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war will end once Hamas is disarmed and removed from Gaza. Gaza local health authorities said Israeli military strikes have killed at least 87 people across the enclave in the past 24 hours. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, by Israeli tallies.
