Gift of the Givers leader killed in Gaza

16 Nov 2023

The leader of the Gaza office for Gift of the Givers, Ahmed Abbasi, along with his brother, was fatally shot on their way back from morning prayers, says Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder and chair of the humanitarian organisation.

Source: Gift of the Givers.

Ahmed Abbasi played a crucial role in implementing various projects for the organisation including the care of orphans, widows, the elderly and the ill.

He facilitated the distribution of water produced by desalination plants, delivered food parcels, supplied hot meals, and improved the conditions of damaged homes.

He worked for Gift of the Givers since 2013, and was more recently responsible for addressing the emergency healthcare needs of Palestinians since Hamas initiated a surprise attack on Israel last month.

Humanitarian action and advocacy

In response to this tragic incident, Gift of the Givers released a statement advocating for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from South Africa and the closure of the embassy.

The organisation wholeheartedly backed President Cyril Ramaphosa's appeal to bring Tel Aviv and Benjamin Netanyahu before the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.