While UNRWA warns that “hunger is everywhere in Gaza and the specter of famine looms on the horizon,” there is a window of hope that not only satisfies the hunger of those for whom it was opened, but also records other exceptional signs.
On the morning of February 26, after a Saudi-Palestinian-Egyptian meeting at the Saudi Embassy in Cairo, trucks loaded with “sacrifices” began making their way from Egypt to enter through the Rafah crossing. On the other hand, those responsible for distribution from government agencies, local associations, and volunteers begin announcing the news among the people of Rafah and the displaced people in the Khan Yunis and southern Gaza camps, so that “queues” begin to form.
Aid recipients in Rafah called the new arrival the “Golden Box,” as it took many forms for those waiting for it. According to many of those who reached it, this time, it carries something different and exceptional compared to other aid boxes, because the box contains 3 kilograms of meat, which most of the people of Rafah and those displaced from all areas of Gaza to Khan Yunis and the areas of southern Gharra and Rafah were deprived of, 4 years ago. Almost months.
Khalil Ahmed, an eyewitness from Rafah, who is sheltering 8 displaced families in his home, revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the people of Rafah and the displaced people in the camps called it the “Golden Fund,” after which it is a common name for any Saudi aid basket in general, due to the fact that it carries materials. Exceptional, such as the meat that enters the Strip for the first time after its stock ran out a while ago due to war conditions, in addition to being distinguished by the quality of foodstuffs such as oil, sugar, and meat, and their shelf life for a long period compared to the canned goods that come in other aid baskets.
Ahmed adds: “If you asked me about other aid, I would not remember it as I remember Saudi aid, because most of the displaced are constantly waiting for the Saudi Golden Fund, to the point that I shared the bag that arrived to me, containing 3 kilograms of meat, with one of the families who could not obtain it.”
Hossam Al-Saeed says that he traded the Saudi “golden box”, which contains 3 kilograms of meat and is printed with the slogan “Sacrifice” (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s project to benefit from sacrifices and sacrifices), for a large number of milk cartons for his two children, who were deprived of milk for several days, to represent his share of the aid. Saudi Arabia is a glimmer of hope to end his suffering and provide milk for his two children.
“Sacrifice” project
The general supervisor of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s project to benefit from sacrificial animals and sacrificial animals, Omar Attia, told Asharq Al-Awsat that, in direct coordination between the project, the Egyptian Red Crescent, the Palestinian Red Crescent, and the Palestinian Ministry of Social Development, “it was delivered last February.” 30,000 sacrifices were sent in 17 trucks to be distributed to those in need in the Gaza Strip. Attia continued that the project had been ready to send these batches since last October: “But we were careful during our communication with the responsible authorities in Egypt and Palestine to ensure that all equipment and conditions were appropriate before sending them, and we aimed for the meat to reach public cooking gatherings.” Located in the Gaza Strip, which is supervised by the Ministry of Social Development and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
10,761 tons of aid
Last February 18, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister, said during a discussion session on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, “It is absolutely unacceptable that we have not yet been able to resolve the simple issue of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza.” However, the amount of aid provided by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to the Gaza Strip exceeded 5,795 tons of food and shelter supplies, medicines, medical supplies, and ambulances.
The center confirmed through its official spokesman, Samer Al-Jateili, to Asharq Al-Awsat that it was provided by operating 40 commercial and military planes carrying 829 tons of food aid, shelter supplies, and medical materials, in addition to 20 ambulances, and by operating 6 ships carrying 4,966 tons of food aid. Shelter supplies and medical materials for 715 containers loaded with medical materials, solutions, emergency and critical care supplies.
Al-Jutaili added: “406 trucks were entered into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing and distributed to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in addition to all ambulances arriving inside the Strip and handing them over to the Palestinian Red Crescent.”
Details of the air and sea bridges
In the details that Al-Jutaili explained about the Saudi relief air bridge, the first of which was launched on the ninth of last November, through its humanitarian arm, the “King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid,” 40 commercial and military aircraft arrived containing:
393.83 tons of food baskets, 30.12 dates, 20.71 tons of long-life milk, 40.05 tons of tents, 41.69 tons of shelter bags, 31.91 tons of blankets, and 234.49 tons of medical materials, 20 ambulances, 3 forklifts, and 2 four-wheel drive vehicles.
As for the sea bridge, it consists of: 199 containers of food and shelter supplies, 516 containers of equipment and medicines, medical solutions, and emergency and critical care supplies.
Components of the “Golden Box”
The center explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that one food basket weighing 35.79 kilograms covers the needs of an average family for approximately a month and consists of a number of bags, packages and wrappers, such as: 10 kilograms of flour, 5 kilograms of rice, 3 kilograms of sugar, and 2 kilograms of… Dates, 4 kilograms of canned fava beans, 1 kilogram of halva, 2 kilograms of tuna, 3 liters of oil, 1 kilogram of table salt, 2.55 kilograms of canned evaporated milk, 1.2 kilograms of peanut butter, 1 4 kilograms of cheddar cheese.
Al-Jumaili explained that the total agreements with partners from international, regional and international organizations with whom the Center is currently implementing humanitarian projects to relieve the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, exceeded 156 million Saudi riyals, with partners such as (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees with 15 million dollars, and the World Health Organization with 15 million dollars). 10 million dollars, the International Committee of the Red Cross with 10 million dollars, and the World Food Program with 5 million dollars), in addition to the United Consultations Corporation (UMCHR), the Egyptian Red Crescent, and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Al-Jutaili added, “Work is underway to coordinate with the relevant authorities in Egypt to bring in the additional aid provided by the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid, which arrived in Egypt with a load of 396 trucks,” noting that the center seeks to coordinate to take advantage of the limited means for the arrival of more aid. For the most affected families in the Gaza Strip.
In the same context, Al-Jumaili revealed that work is currently underway to “prepare to send food, shelter, and medical aid, which includes securing medical solutions and intravenous solutions, securing 108,000 food baskets, securing 100,000 shelter bags, securing 20,000 blankets, and securing 100,000 personal care bags.” He expressed the Center’s aspiration in the near future to “open the crossings completely so that the largest possible amount of aid can enter with the advent of the month of Ramadan.”
UNRWA warns
Amid the glimmer of hope that Saudi aid has drawn on the daily reality of the displaced and besieged in the Gaza Strip, Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA’s media advisor, warned of the reality of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, praising Saudi aid and the Saudi position on “the unprecedented Israeli attack on UNRWA.” Because, according to Abu Hasna, “it sends a message to the whole world that what is happening in Gaza is unacceptable, and that it is absolutely impossible to allow the continued prevention of food aid from entering the Palestinians in Gaza; Especially since things began to deteriorate dramatically; We are talking about the entry of 15 trucks per day only because the Israeli demonstrators are closing the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is the main crossing for the entry of aid,” adding that “Saudi Arabia saved UNRWA in 2018 – when the administration of US President Donald Trump cut off aid – and provided UNRWA with about 50 million dollars.” ».
“Gaza Strip sentenced to death”
Abu Hasna repeated the warning against “sentencing the Gaza Strip to death,” explaining to Asharq Al-Awsat that “the collapse of UNRWA means depriving 6 million Palestinian refugees of services,” according to what UNRWA described to Asharq Al-Awsat, and according to the explanation that: “It did not Only UNRWA remains in Gaza. In addition, UNRWA is a factor of regional stability, and everyone recognizes this, even the American administration, the European Union, and the countries that suspended their contributions.
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