REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – In the next of a couple months, the construction of Indonesian Hospital (RSI) in Gaza will be completed. Today, the work is almost 80 percent completed, the chairman of MER-C in Gaza, Abdillah Oni, wrote in an email to Republika Online on Thursday.  

“We have been doing the first phase of construction in the last eight months and it is nearly completed now. Hopefully we can finish the work in the next two months,” Dillah said. 

Some obstacles that hampered the construction process caused a brief delay from the initial schedule, intended to finish in February. He mentioned, lacking of construction materials, the bad weather in the last two months, and some additional works were the main factors causing the delay.  

“But I think it is still normal, since constructing in a conflict area is not easy,” Dillah added.

Dillah admitted, the construction process in Gaza was quite challenging. MER-C volunteers faced some difficulties to get access to Gaza while construction materials must be sent through Gaza tunnels. Occasional attacks from Israel also forced them to stop the construction. 

Yet, Dillar and MER-C volunteers are committed to finish this project. “We bear the responsibility from Indonesian people to move forward. It is beyond my expectation that we can work so far on something we could only dream of before,” he said. 

From the distance, the octagonal shape of RSI Gaza resembles the Qubbah Sakhra located near Masjidil Aqsha. “RSI Gaza is a symbol of our pride in international stage. Indonesia has another Masjid Istiqlal in Bosnia, built by Soeharto (former Indonesian president –ed), and now also have a hospital built by Indonesian people who care and love Palestine,” he added. From Indonesia with love. 

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