ABU DHABI // Reports and images of the Israeli attack on Gaza drove Hiba Al Naqbi to donate clothes to a drive to collect aid for the affected Palestinians, especially children.
“I have children. I see my children play, love, laugh — there are people in Palestine who don’t have food, they don’t have anything,” said Ms Al Naqbi, 27.
The Emirates Foundation, an Abu Dhabi Government charity, launched on Thursday a three-day collection drive for funds, food, clothing and coupons for aid such as medical kits, in partnership with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC).
The foundation decided to launch the campaign for a worthy cause “not to be ignored”, said Maytha Al Habsi, the foundation’s chief programmes officer.
“We have had a lot of requests from our own volunteers and our own youth asking us to open the door for them to express their support and willingness to donate, to volunteer for this cause, especially providing aid and relief for the children of Gaza,” she said.
“The way that children have been treated within what’s happening now has touched the hearts of many Emiratis and non-Emiratis who live in this country.”
The campaign is the least people can do for Palestinians in Gaza, said Sallam Al Salami, 29, a volunteer with Takatof, an organisation that is part of the Emirates Foundation.
Ramadan’s role as a month for charity will encourage many people to donate generously for the campaign, he said, particularly with items other than money.
“We will give until it hurts to make people in Gaza feel that we will do whatever we can to help them,” said Mr Salami, an urban planning student from Abu Dhabi who studies in the US.
The drive draws upon 40,000 youth who are affiliated with the Emirates Foundation, including 30,000 people who volunteer, said Ms Al Habsi.
“The least we can do is express our support and express our compassion with the families of Gaza and children of Gaza by having this even today, where we open the doors for receiving donations from the public,” she said.
“It’s the month of peace and the month of giving, so everyone who enjoys peace in our country will actually want to share [that peace] with the world. We believe that will be a strong drive for people to interact with this initiative and show up and show support,” said Ms Al Habsi.
The campaign started on Thursday night amid reports that an Israeli attack on a UN school being used as a shelter in northern Gaza had left at least 15 people dead and more than 200 wounded.
The most recent report from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) put the number of Palestinians killed in the violence at 756, since violence broke out on July 8. Thirty-two Israelis are reported to have died, including three civilians.
Meanwhile, more than 141,000 people are displaced in the agency’s schools, it said on Thursday.
The number of displaced people in UNRWA schools now exceeds 141,338 in 83 schools.
“As has happened so many times in this pitiless conflict, civilians are paying the highest price of the current military escalation,” said Pierre Krahenbuhl, UNRWA commissioner-general, in a statement.
The Emirates Red Crescent had previously said it agreed to provide Dh150 million for future reconstruction projects in Gaza, in an agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Those interested in donating may contribute by visiting the Takatof offices in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, or after the campaign by donating to ERC, said Ms Al Habsi.
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