Abdul Qowi Bastian, Jakarta – Some 15 Islamic hardliners from Indonesia have left for war-torn Gaza where they hope to provide aid to the Palestinian people, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) said on Friday.
"Five days ago, two of our members departed, along with 13 other volunteers from MMI and JAT, to Gaza from Yogyakarta," FPI Central Java chapter head Syihabudin said, as quoted by news portal Kompas.com.
The two other organizations he referred to were hardline groups Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI) and Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT).
Fighting in Gaza has intensified over the past 24 hours after Israel launched a ground invasion in an a attempt to stop rocket fire from Palestinian militants on Thursday night.
The campaign follows violence over the grisly murder of a Palestinian teenager, which was itself an apparent revenge for the kidnap and killing of three Israeli youths in the occupied West Bank.
Since July 8, 482 Palestinians – mostly civilians – have been killed, Reuters reported on Monday. Israel has said 18 of its soldiers have also died along with two civilians.
In addition to the 15 traveling from Central Java, FPI Jakarta head Salim Alatas told the Jakarta Globe on Friday that he had "just finished lodging a visa application to Egypt today," adding that he and 10 others planned to enter Gaza from Egypt.
Salim did not explain why he expected he – and other foreign hardliners – would be allowed to enter Gaza along the heavily controlled Egypt-Gaza border.
"The volunteers need to have skills; those who have experience in nursery, cooking and hisbah [war skills]," Syihabudin said. He said that the volunteers had funded their own trips.
The Jakarta Globe was unable to reach FPI national spokesman Munarman for comment.
Salim said he would lobby the Indonesian embassy in Cairo to find them a way into the Palestinian territory, but did not elaborate further. "We just place hope in their kindness to allow us to go," he said.
Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/islamic-defenders-front-sends-volunteers-gaza/