The Mayor is dead – why Israel killed the beloved engineer of Maghazi
Hatem al-Ghamri, the mayor of the Maghazi refugee camp
Abdallah Aljamal reports in Palestine Chronicle on 13 April 2024:
The Gaza Government media office slammed the strike as “a war crime that contravenes international laws that grant immunity and protection to civilian figures”. According to the office, al-Ghamri was the head of an emergency committee dedicated to maintaining public order and civil control in Gaza.
Al-Ghamri is one of many civilian officers who were killed in Israel’s genocidal war against the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Palestine Chronicle spoke with residents of the camp or displaced Palestinians who are currently living in Maghazi, to better understand the implications of Israeli actions and the reactions among the civilian population.
He Helped Everybody
“The mayor of Maghazi, Engineer Hatem Al-Ghamri, was killed when Israeli occupation forces bombed a civilian building belonging to the municipality,” Mohammed al-Ayedi told The Palestine Chronicle.
“Since the first day of the war, the mayor has been working to provide relief services to tens of thousands of displaced people who sought refuge in the camp,” al-Ayedi continued. “He directly supervised the central emergency committee of the camp and continued to work diligently until the day of his martyrdom. Indeed, he was killed while fulfilling his mission providing relief to the displaced,” he added.
According to al-Ayedi, al-Ghamri was one of the most beloved people in the camp. “He was chosen unanimously by the residents to head the municipality. He was always available for everybody,” he said.
Worked Tirelessly
The Maghazi camp, along with the area south of the Gaza Valley, was declared a ‘safe zone’ by the Israeli occupation. Therefore, thousands of people flocked to it seeking shelter from the deadly Israeli war. “Our house was bombed during the first days of the war, but the Al-Maghazi municipality, under the direct supervision of its mayor, worked to accommodate us in shelters and provided relief services,” Mohammed Abu Nasr told the Palestine Chronicle. “Al-Ghamri worked tirelessly to aid people throughout the war,” he continued.