Gaza aid on way
7 June 2010
Daily News - Forty tonnes of medical supplies will be airlifted to Gaza from Bahrain in the coming days, it emerged yesterday.
The collection of medicines and other medical equipment has already started, Royal Charity Organisation (RCO) secretary general Dr Mustafa Al Sayed told the GDN.
He revealed the shipment was one of several initiatives being planned by Bahrain for the people of Gaza - including the construction of a new school, hospital and library complex.
There are also plans to send in food supplies to feed the people of Gaza during Ramadan.
"The whole exercise is being conducted according to the directives of His Majesty King Hamad and with the co-ordination of the Bahrain Red Crescent Society (BRCS), Bahrain Medical Society (BMS) and the Health Ministry," Dr Al Sayed said yesterday.
Bahrain National Committee for the Support of Palestinians in Gaza chairman, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, is overseeing the relief efforts.
"We expect to take care of all the formalities in the next few days and we hope the medical aid will be on its way in a week," Dr Al Sayed added.
"The aid will be airlifted from Bahrain to El Arish airport, Egypt, from where it will make the road trip into Gaza."
The announcement follows last Monday's attack by Israel on relief boats bound for Gaza, in which nine people were killed and several injured.
Four Bahrainis taking part in the Freedom Flotilla - Shaikh Jalal Al Sharqi, Khalid Bucheeri, Hassan Murad and Yousif Mahmood - were among hundreds of activists arrested, but were released on Tuesday night and arrived back home on Wednesday.
That incident prompted international condemnation of Israel and its three-year blockade of Gaza, which has caused massive suffering for the people living there.
Soon afterwards, Egypt reopened the Rafah border crossing - opening the doors for much-needed aid to reach Gaza.
Dr Al Sayed said a team would travel from Bahrain to Gaza with the specialised medical equipment, which has been provided by the Health Ministry, and medicines that are either now being purchased or are already in stock.
"During the visit, the Bahrain team will also lay the foundation stone of a school, hospital and library complex," he said.
"This complex is a gift from the people of Bahrain for the people of Gaza. A site for the complex has already been identified, but we have still not been there."
Dr Al Sayed said Bahrain had hoped to send food supplies to Gaza along with the medicines, but had been unable to secure approval.
"Sadly, at the moment we have approvals only for medicines and medical equipment," he explained.
"We hope in the future we will get the go-ahead for food. If that happens, we are hoping we will start to supply food for the holy month of Ramadan."
The medical supplies will be distributed in Gaza with the help of the Egyptian and the Palestinian Red Crescent societies, as well as Bahraini Ambassador to Egypt Khalil Al Thawadi.
The delegation that accompanies the aid will also bring back 14 Palestinian children, who have previously undergone medical treatment in Bahrain.
"We have selected these 14 from 800 Palestinian children who have been treated in Bahrain so far for a goodwill trip," added Dr Al Sayed.
