KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 12 aid containers led by the Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations (Mapim) have entered Gaza via the Rafah border, says Datuk Sani Araby.
The head of the Malaysia Emergency Aid Mission to Gaza said that the first phase was successful with 12 containers, and they are working on the second and third phases to reach the target of 100 containers for Gaza.
"This morning, around 3am Malaysian time, I received a video that made my heart heavy and moved.
The viral video shows a brother in Gaza, living in a refugee tent, running excitedly, bringing home an aid box bearing the Malaysian flag,” said Sani.
“In the video, the young man from Gaza excitedly describes the contents of the aid box, which would cost almost USD 300 in the current critical war situation," he added in a media statement on Wednesday (Dec 25).
According to Sani, they provided 8 containers of wheat and 4 boxes containing essential items for daily use.
He added that Mapim volunteers and NGO partners in Egypt bought and packed all these items before sending them by land.
"The journey faced various challenges after the Rafah gate was closed and occupied by the regime. Alhamdulillah, it finally bore fruit with this aid reaching those in need," he said.
The national project is a collective effort by various parties, including the Office of the Deputy Minister 1 (RM1mil contribution) and the Prime Minister's Office.
He said that the aid boxes are part of the 12 containers successfully sent through Rafah in a major project personally overseen by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi.
Both had officiated the flag-off.
Sani added that Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was sent by the government to attend the Mapim Warehouse in Cairo for another flag-off before this aid moved to Gaza.
Other contributors include the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), the Selangor Menteri Besar's Office, Yayasan Wakaf Malaysia, Cinta Gaza Malaysia, Yayasan Damai Abadi, MyAqsa Defender, Glokal Ihsan, Iman Care, Fianz New Zealand, Alkhair Foundation UK, and the Minister of Religion's Office.
