COMMENT | It is just after dawn. I am at home, having a cup of coffee on the deck that extends into the Pengkalan Datu river in Kota Bharu. A flock of white birds cross my line of vision.

My untrained eyes say they are little egrets, symbols of good fortune, purity, and grace. They are said to symbolise new beginnings and prosperity. My mind drifts to more than 7,600km away.

Are there any birds in Gaza I wonder? I’m told that the national bird of Palestine is the Palestinian sunbird, small in size but bold in existence and holds a beautiful representation of resilience and undying presence in Palestine.

I glance at my phone, and the images I see come from North Gaza, a complete juxtaposition, almost incomprehensible in magnitude.

There is a message from Hatem, my former PhD student, now a lecturer at the Islamic University of Gaza, or whatever is left of it.

His message is heartrending...