JEDDAH: A Saudi business tycoon has donated SR25 million ($6.7 million) to help Gazans suffering under a gruesome Israeli military assault, the Saudi Press Agency said.
Interior Minister Prince Naif, who supervises a nationwide fundraising campaign for Gazans, received the donation from the businessman, who has requested anonymity.
Prince Naif urged philanthropists and business firms in the Kingdom to contribute generously to the fund. “We are still receiving donations from Saudis and expatriates,” he said. The government launched a nationwide telethon on Saturday night and raised more than SR132 million.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who ordered the telethon, gave SR30 million to the fund while Crown Prince Sultan gave SR10 million.
Saudis and foreign workers in the Kingdom have expressed their solidarity with Gazans by offering everything from personal jewelry to farmland and herd of sheep.
Saudi banks competed one another in extending their donations. Samba Financial Group yesterday announced a donation of SR1 million. Zain telecom company reduced the charges for calls to the Palestinian territories by 50 percent. It also allocated a special number (1760) for people to donate their money through SMS.
The Saudi government has sent several flights carrying medical supplies and personnel to Gaza. It also sent air ambulance planes to take injured Palestinians for treatment to Saudi hospitals. The eighth Saudi relief plane carrying 11.5 tons of medicine and medical appliances arrived in the Egyptian border city of Areesh yesterday. The supplies will be delivered to Gazans.
Under the relief program ordered by King Abdullah for Palestinians in Gaza, 200 tons of flour and 1.5 million pieces of bread will be distributed. Arrangements have also been made to distribute fast food worth SR1.9 million.
Saed Al-Harithy, supervisor of the Saudi relief work, said measures have been taken to supply emergency relief supplies such as medicine and foodstuff for the Gazans. A number of trucks carrying Saudi relief supplies entered Gaza yesterday under the supervision of Saudi officials including Dr. Khaled Al-Habshi, head of the Saudi relief medical team, Mohammed Al-Othman, representative of the Finance Ministry and Hassan Al-Bahairy, head of the team of the Saudi Embassy in Egypt. “We have succeeded in transporting 12 tons of medicine to Gaza through Rafah,” Al-Habshi said.
The Saudi team also succeeded in bringing two more trucks carrying 13 tons of medicine and medical appliances to Gaza. Al-Habshi said Saudi air ambulance planes are waiting at Areesh airport to take the injured Gazans to the Kingdom. “Gazans required more medicine and doctors,” he added.
