New Straits Times
Palestinian student in Penang loses 25 family members in Israel-Palestine conflict
By Bernama - 18 December 2023

Students from Palestine studying at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang are worried about their relatives and families in Gaza. NSTP/MIKAIL ONG

GEORGETOWN: Students from Palestine studying at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang are worried about their relatives and families in Gaza.

Despite being busy with their studies at USM, these students never failed to remember their loved ones and their families in Gaza, even though many among their family members have lost their lives in the conflict.

For Majed F.S. Habib, a 44-year-old University lecturer from Gaza who is pursuing a PhD in communication, the past 73 days of conflict have littered bitter memories as he has lost 25 family members.

It has been heartbreaking for Majed, as the bodies of some of his cousins are buried under the rubble of their destroyed homes in Shija'iah, Gaza, which was bombed by the Israeli regime.Majed, who previously worked as a lecturer at a public university in Gaza, said his life as a PhD student in Penang has changed a lot since the conflict began.

Majed F.S. Habib. NSTP/MIKAIL ONG

He finds it difficult to concentrate on his studies as he is constantly preoccupied with the fate of his wife and family in Gaza."My wife lives with her brother, and my brother-in-law last sent me a message five days ago to say that they were safe but I have not been able to contact them since then.

"I am here but my heart is there (Gaza) and I am thinking about their safety. I lost 25 family members in this bombing. Many cousins and family members have perished. Some of them could not be rescued from the rubble because the situation was not safe. This is a difficult time for me," he told reporters here today.

Majed is one of the 53 Palestinian students from USM who each received a RM2,000 donation from the Palestinian Humanitarian Mission Emergency Fund set up by the Ministry of Higher Education.

He expressed his gratitude for USM's financial support, which came at just the right time.

Another 28-year-old Palestinian student at USM, Mahmoud M.A. Brieka, who is pursuing a Master of Business Administration, said the events in Gaza since Oct 7, have been a nightmare for every Palestinian.

He himself has lost 15 relatives so far, and just three days ago, two of his father's cousins were killed in the war."I have been in Malaysia for seven years, and my family in Khan Yunis have now become refugees after Israel bombed the area.

Mahmoud M.A. Brieka. NSTP/MIKAIL ONG

"I am very grateful to USM for the financial support and how important it is for the Palestinian students here," he said.-- BERNAMA