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Qatari aid: a lifeline for Palestinians in the tragic humanitarian situation in Gaza

Gaza, March 16 (QNA) - Qatari humanitarian and relief aid to the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the Israeli aggression in October 2023 has made a significant difference, impacting all vital sectors related to the lives of Palestinians in Gaza, who, according to UN officials, are facing one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of the modern era.

Qatari aid efforts have focused on urgent and emergency humanitarian interventions to provide support and assistance to the people of Gaza amid the difficult conditions resulting from the siege and closure imposed by the Israeli entity on the Strip, and the prevention of aid entry despite the ceasefire agreement.

In this context, Abdelrahman Al-Khaldi, media official of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, affirmed that Qatar's efforts in providing humanitarian and relief aid to the Strip since the start of the war have been swift and intensive, focusing on alleviating the severe humanitarian crisis experienced by the Strip's residents and meeting their basic needs for shelter, food, water, and public services.

Al-Khaldi added, in exclusive statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), that Qatari aid, in addition to relief, food, and medical fields, also covered buildings, roads, and infrastructure, with several projects being implemented in this area, most notably the rubble removal and road opening project in the governorates of the Gaza Strip, to ease the burden on Palestinian citizens, facilitate their movement, the return of displaced persons, and the access of public services to them.

He explained that the aid included implementing a project to remove dangerous and unstable concrete blocks, which recently began in over 200 buildings in the Strip's governorates, while other vital projects related to infrastructure, health, and water sectors are being implemented.

He noted that since the beginning of last year, more than 265,000 food baskets have been distributed to residents, and more than 80,000 Ramadan baskets including ready-to-eat canned meat, aimed at ensuring food reaches citizens during the holy month, in addition to distributing more than 400,000 pieces of winter clothing, shoes, and Eid clothing for children, to provide warmth and comfort for the affected and displaced in camps, especially with the ongoing repercussions of the war on the Strip's residents.

The media official of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza said the committee distributed more than 80,000 tents to provide dignified shelter for tens of thousands of affected families, benefiting more than 400,000 individuals in various cities of the Strip, in addition to more than 30,000 pieces of tarpaulins distributed to protect residents from rain and sun, along with shelter packages including blankets, pillows, mats, clothes, and shoes.

Regarding the project to remove dangerous and unstable concrete blocks, he noted that the project was recently implemented to remove dangerous and unstable concrete blocks from over 200 damaged buildings containing about 750 housing units, to protect the lives of residents and passersby, explaining that the removal work is carried out using light equipment with the participation of technical teams, in coordination with municipalities and civil defense, and includes paving roads and vital pathways around the buildings to ensure ease of movement and safe access to basic services.

He added that about 372,000 tons of rubble have been removed along 100 kilometers of main streets and vital pathways, to facilitate the movement of Palestinian citizens and displaced persons and the delivery of public services, drinking water trucks, and ambulances to affected areas.

Regarding infrastructure projects, Abdelrahman Al-Khaldi explained that the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza has started constructing and maintaining 30 water wells in various areas of the Gaza Strip, to provide essential water for residents, especially in the western areas classified as safe where displaced persons have returned, noting that the project cost more than one million US dollars and is being implemented over three months.

He pointed out that the project includes the construction of new wells and maintenance of damaged wells within the scope of 11 municipalities in the Gaza Strip, with the work being carried out through a private sector contracting company, under the supervision and follow-up of engineers from the Gaza Reconstruction Committee and in coordination with the relevant municipal teams.

Abdelrahman Al-Khaldi, media official of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, concluded his statements to QNA by affirming that the committee's current efforts focus on continuing to provide urgent humanitarian aid, especially for the displaced, including shelter, food, and water, with the committee prepared to launch new projects in various vital sectors, according to the evolving field needs of citizens in the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Strip has been experiencing a continuous humanitarian tragedy since the Israeli entity launched a comprehensive attack on it on October 7, 2023, which destroyed all aspects of social, economic, and health life, resulting in more than 72,000 Palestinian martyrs and over 172,000 wounded, amid unprecedented destruction of infrastructure and the health sector, and the shutdown of hospitals due to the ongoing targeting by the Israeli occupation.

Qatari aid

Gaza