Its a very gloomy day today. We have yet to receive any news from Dr Essam our team leader regarding our movement. The attacks in Gaza is at its worst for the past two days.Masya Allah.. the visuals we saw on tv is horrendous.Not just the gruesome bodies but the bombings which is visualised from a far every minute. A total attack from the Israeli forces.
Together with my team member Dr Haq, we are restless at the moment. The mind runs around in looking for alternatives of how we can cross the border. However, somehow the gesture of Dr Essam looking at our expression during the past two days comes into mind.
"Patience my brothers.. we need to have a lot of patience with du'a insha Allah" and patting our shoulders.
Definitely a lone calm figure everytime the nervousness arrived amongst his delegate members. Dr Essam introduced himself as a nephrologist with a Jordanian background. Everytime before we start our trip to the checkpoint border, he will recite du'a with conviction and leads our prayers. Certainly a figure well respected amongst the group members. Even a "lone ranger" (perhaps i will introduce him in another entry) who i made friends with told me that if there was anybody who could bring doctors into the Gaza trip at this moment, it will be Dr Essam. Who is this Dr Essam? Obviously from the perspective of our group, we were not briefed on the background of the group we were together with.
Dr Essam Mustafa or also known as Dr Essam Yusof is the managing trustee of Interpal, Interpal is a British charity which was founded in 1994 and its official name is Palestinians Relief and Development Fund.Of course it has been controversial because of allegations of its link in funding terrorism. Looking at the internet resources over all these years, i have yet to find any legal sanction against this charity as obviously they could not prove their allegations. Dr Essam seemed to have a very strong connection with the HAMAS leaders, proven in various pictures and activities organized together with the ruling government of the Gaza strip.
Dr Essam is the key figure in the "Miles of Smiles" convoy, a programme where he would lead a group of medical consultants from Europe and around the world to visit Palestine ad in particular the Gaza strip. Looking at the internet resources in his name reference, I am certainly impressed with his commitment towards the charity and medical aid for palestinians in the gaza strip.
It is certainly a priviledge to be with his group and insha Allah i do hope that we will be successful in our current mission to cross the border.
"Patience brother..patience.."
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