Medical supplies being checked. RIGHT: Dr Mohamed bin Ghanim al-Ali al-Maadid during IFRC meeting on Gaza.
A high-level delegation headed by Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) chairman Dr Mohamed bin Ghanim al-Ali al-Maadid visited the Jordanian capital, Amman, to participate in a meeting organised by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies yesterday to discuss the current situation in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the QRC office in the Gaza Strip has continued its efforts through a package of emergency projects worth QR2mn allocated for the emergency relief of Palestinians in the light of the Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip and the targeting of vital facilities and civilians.
QRC began supplying Palestinian hospitals in the Gaza Strip with emergency drugs in an initial response to the acute shortage of medicines and medical consumables suffered by the hospitals of the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Based on the QR2mn in financial aid provided by QRC’s Relief and Emergency Fund, an urgent supply of medicines has started to Gaza hospitals, including seven types of essential medicinal items totalling 40,300 indispensable medicines used in emergency services and surgical operations.
Dr Akram Nassar, director of the QRC office in the Gaza Strip, said the interventions involve the implementation of a host of emergency relief projects, including in the water and sanitation sector, which has suffered a major setback as a result of bombing.
“We have allocated about $200,000 (QR730,000) to intervene in this area as we started working with the Municipality of Gaza for the supply of materials needed for urgent maintenance of the water systems affected by the Israeli aggression and rehabilitation of electric generators in water wells to help pump drinking water, especially after the shelling of the only power plant in the Gaza Strip, bringing it to a halt,” he explained.
Further, Dr Nassar indicated that schools have turned into shelters for the displaced, who exceeded 250,000 people.
Director of the water department in Gaza Municipality, Maher Salem, said municipal crews are fixing the line of water wells in the southern Gaza Strip that feeds a residential area inhabited by 200,000 people.
Meanwhile, Dr Nassar said the QRC is about to commence a project to provide psychological support for the victims of the Israeli aggression in partnership with its Palestinian counterpart. The initial budget allocated for this project is $150,000 provided by the Qatari Fakhoora Campaign.”
Ooredoo customers can contribute to Gaza by sending a text message with the letter “G” to 92766 to donate QR100 or via the QRC website, www.qrcs.org.qa
Qatar sends 65-tonne aid shipment
Qatar’s government has sent a 65-tonne aid shipment to the people of the heavily-bombed Gaza, Qatar’s Ambassador to Jordan Zayed bin Saeed al-Khayareen has said.
The ambassador told Qatar News Agency that the shipment includes medications and relief material and that it will be securely transferred to its destination through co-ordination with Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO).
UNRWA will be responsible for distributing the aid to the affected people in the Strip. He thanked the Jordanian government and JHCO for their efforts to facilitate the delivery of aid to Gaza.
Al-Khayareen said the Qatari government has donated $1mn to support UNRWA efforts in bringing relief to Gazans.