By: Rowaida Mahmoud
AS the world bids farewell to 2023 and steps into 2024, it’s clear that the past year was anything but ordinary. From unexpected twists in the world in terms of conflicts to global natural disasters, 2023 delivered a rollercoaster of surprises that the world won’t soon forget.
Mo Salah: Photo controversies and activism in 2023
Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian footballing superstar, faced several waves of criticism on social media throughout 2023. The year saw him praised for his on-field exploits but also embroiled in a series of online controversies.
One incident arose from a photograph showing Salah’s wife, Magi Sadeq, posing with American actor Will Ferrell. In the image, Ferrell rests his hand on Sadeq’s shoulder, prompting criticism from some social media users in Egypt who deemed it inappropriate. Others, however, defended the photo and argued that it was being unfairly used to attack Salah’s character or religious beliefs.
Another critical juncture came during the escalating conflict in Gaza during 2023. Many Egyptian fans on social media expressed disillusionment with Salah’s perceived silence on the issue. Some even went as far as unfollowing him on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, accusing him of failing to stand up for the Palestinian people. However, after a week of relative quiet, Salah responded by donating to the Egyptian Red Crescent to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
Towards the end of the year, a Christmas-themed photo featuring Salah and his Liverpool teammates celebrating with children in a hospital also attracted criticism from some quarters. While many lauded the gesture, others questioned the appropriateness of celebrating a Christian holiday given Salah’s Muslim faith.
Egyptian policeman Mohamed Salah after killing Israeli soldiers
Social media users widely praised the Egyptian policeman Mohamed Salah, 22, after killing 3 Israeli soldiers. Salah was carrying the Qur’an, a knife and six magazines for his firearm. Salah’s relatives denied that Salah had been radicalised and suggested that he might have wanted to avenge the death of a comrade.
Owner of “I’m older than Israel” statement shot by Israeli sniper
An old Palestinian woman, who said “I’m older than Israel” and stole everyone’s heart with his humorous appearance, was shot by an Israeli sniper.
The Palestinian photographer Saleh Aljafarawi who filmed a video with her shared the video on Instagram, saying, “she was martyred; may Allah have mercy on you. You told me your name is Saleh and you are saleh (a good man)”. Israel-Hamas war, Sudan conflict,
Titan sub implosion, burning Qur’an in Denmark and Sweden and earthquakes in Türkiye, Morocco, Syria, China and Egypt were most searched in trends 2023
Israel-Hamas war
“With soul, with blood, we redeem you, oh Palestine.” After an extreme aggression against Palestine, Hamas decided, out of the blue, on October 7, to revenge ongoing attacks on Palestinians, the desecration of al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza.
It’s payback time. Hamas fighters surprised Israel with the lunch of 5,000 rockets. Sirens bawled in Tel Aviv as rockets flew over Israel. Under the name Tofan Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa Storm/ Flood), Hamas assaulted Israel by land, sea and air, surprisingly using paragliders.
Israel carried out aggressive actions with Palestinians daily, killing children, bombing hospitals and homes and forcing Palestine to leave their homes.
Sudan conflict
The eruption of gunfire broke out in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, on April15 between the country’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.
The conflict left thousands of people struggling to live and created what the United Nations describes “ the world’s largest human displacement crisis”. The RSF carried out unimaginable abuses, such as breaking into houses, destroying properties and grabbing money.
Quakes struck Egypt, Türkiye, Morocco, Syria, China
Earthquakes struck several countries in 2023, including Egypt, Türkiye, Morocco, Syria, China.
The Egyptian National Institute for Astronomical Research reported a 4.5 magnitude earthquake. It occurred about 265 kilometres northwest of Marsa Matruh.
Dr. Jadd Al-Qadi, the head of the National Institute for Astronomical Research confirmed no reports of tremors, casualties or property damage.
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake also struck Morocco, sending residents in a race from their beds into the streets. More than 2,000 people were killed.
The quake damaged the earth-and-stone mosque, Tinmel Mosque, which is one of the most significant historical sites in the High Atlas mountains. The mosque was built by a medieval dynasty that conquered North Africa and Spain.
A 6.2 earthquake also struck one of China’s poorest regions , killing at least 150 people, injuring hundreds and bringing down mud house.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake, meanwhile, took place in southern Türkiye near the northern border of Syria.
This earthquake was followed approximately nine hours later by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake located around 59 miles (95 kilometres) to the southwest.
Over 50,000 people died, and hundreds of thousands were left homeless, sheltering in tents and other temporary accommodation
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the earthquake impacted an estimated 15.73 million people in Syria and Turkey.
In Turkey, 2.5 million children — many of them Syrian refugees — are at increased risk of poverty, child labor, or child marriage in the aftermath of the disaster.
Titan sub implosion
A deep-sea Titan submersible carrying five people on a voyage to the century-old wreck of the Titanic was found in pieces from a “catastrophic implosion”, killing all five passengers on board.
Burning Qur’an in Denmark and Sweden
Two protesters set fire to a copy of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, in front of the Iraqi embassy in Denmark
in 2023. Besides, far-right agitators burnt a copy of the Qur’an outside the Turkish Embassy in the Swedish capital, Stockholm.
