GAZA RALLY SLAMS SLAYING MUSLIM STUDENTS IN US

Gaza, 27 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/17 February 2015 (MINA)–  A protest in Gaza against the killing of three Palestinian American students in eastern US has brought about a brief shutdown of a number of American aid groups.

On Monday, dozens of young residents of the Palestinian besieged territory forced the temporary closure of the US institutions to express their rage over the killing of the Muslim students last week near the Chapel Hill campus of the University of North Carolina.

“We came here today to close the US institutions for two hours. This event aims to denounce the policy of media blackout that occurred and the US media silence and the U.S. official silence,” said a Muslim activist and rally participant, Jamal Yaghi as cited in an AFP report, Press TV  quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

‘Hate crime’

“The blood of all victims is important, whatever their religion or their nationality,” Yaghi added while addressing the crowd of Gaza protesters who carried “Hate Crime” banners in condemnation of the February 10 murders.

Among the US-linked organizations temporarily shut down by the protesters were CARE, Mercy Corps, Amideast and three other aid groups operating in Gaza.

The protest effort came amid a growing outrage among Muslims across the world over the killings.

Nearly 1,500 Palestinians took to the streets across the Palestinian territory on Saturday in an angry protest against the brutal killing of the Muslim students, referring to the shocking incident as an attack against Islam and its followers.

A 46-year-old American named Craig Hicks shot and killed the three Muslim students — Deah Barakat, his wife, Yusor Abu Salha, and her sister, Razan Abu Salha — allegedly after a dispute over a parking spot.

The incident came amid what many experts describe as a rising tide of Islamophobia in the United States. (T/P010/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)