Open Rafah border to allow humanitarian aid into Palestine, urges UTM lecturer

JOHOR BARU: The Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt should be opened to allow more humanitarian aid to be given to the Palestinians.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia senior lecturer Dr Mohamad Darwish said the ban on entry to Gaza has also caused the hospitals to suffer a healthcare crisis.

“Since there is no electricity, the hospitals have to depend on generators. But now that the fuel for generators has run out, they are losing patients - especially those being treated in the intensive care unit.

“The only way to save the people is through the reopening of the Rafah border, which should be controlled by Egypt and not by the Zionists,” he told reporters after attending the Palestine Solidarity Assembly at PPR Kempas Permai here on Sunday (Nov 12).

Mohamad, 36, also shared that more aid in the form of medical equipment, food and clean water, is needed by the Palestinians.

He said he did not know the situation of his family, as the electricity and communication have been cut off in the area, added that they last communicated a week ago.

“My parents and siblings are still in Gaza. To contact me, they would have to walk a few kilometres to get an internet connection, which is very dangerous as the streets are not safe.

“There is no safe zone in Gaza as the Israeli forces are bombing everything from mosques to schools,” he said, adding that his cousins and relatives have been killed.

Meanwhile, Humanitarian Care Malaysia Johor manager Rozi Abdul Ghani said they are aiming to collect RM350,000 in donations.

“We have previously collected RM280,000, which we have handed over to our headquarters," he said.