A CAMPAIGN in Bahrain to collect funds to help embattled Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip has reached about $19 million as big-hearted donors continue giving generously for the humanitarian cause.
The ‘Help Gaza’ fund was launched by the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF) late last month.
Speaking to the GDN yesterday, RHF secretary general and National Committee for the Support of Palestinians in Gaza chairman Dr Mustafa Al Sayed praised the public efforts to unite in a short span to donate to the fund.
“We have received an overwhelming response to our ‘Help Gaza’ campaign that was launched last month to provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza,” he said.
“With the help of the support of our wise leadership, private sector, charity associations and generous donors we have collected about $19m so far which is a big helping hand to those in need during this ongoing crisis.”
His Majesty King Hamad’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa was the first to donate BD100,000 to kick-start the campaign.
During a televised campaign spearheaded by RHF and the National Committee for Supporting the Palestinians in Gaza last month, His Majesty donated $8.5m, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, contributed a further BD500,000 to the campaign.
Following this, Bahrain dispatched two aid consignments to Gaza under the patronage of Shaikh Nasser as part of RHF relief efforts.
Sharing the latest development yesterday, Dr Al Sayed said that trucks carrying food, aid and other emergency items were en route to Gaza, as the RHF is co-operating with the Egyptian Red Crescent.
“We join calls of other like-minded nations to immediately stop the bloodshed and ensure the safety of all.”
Dr Al Sayed further revealed they were working with other aid agencies to launch new aid projects and programmes.
“We will continue our efforts to help the Palestinians during this difficult period, and are working with aid agencies on new development projects which, if implemented, would make Bahrain among the first country to lead such programmes.”
The war was triggered by Hamas who rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, and dragging more than 200 back to Gaza as hostages, according to Israel.
Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and launched an air, sea and ground assault on densely populated Gaza that has killed more than 11,000 people, most of them women and children, according to Gazan health officials.
The recent climate pressure with heavy rain has brought new challenges in Gaza with many displaced Palestinians living in makeshift tent.
Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani, during a meeting with the Parliamentary Committee to Support the Palestinians People in Gaza chaired by Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam, called for supporting the Palestinians’ legitimate right to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to the two-state solution and international resolutions.
sandy@gdnmedia.bh
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