Mercy Relief’s (MR) second response team entered the conflict zone of the Gaza Strip to personally deliver S$35,000 of water filtration systems and distribute food rations and heaters to the conflict-stricken victims. Together with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), MR also completed the equipping of a $S30,000 ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) suite at the Al Quds Hospital for the diagnosis and treatment of high number of disorders related to areas around the head and neck.
MR’s 6-man team arrived in Cairo on Christmas Day and headed to Gaza through the Rafah Crossing, carrying along half a dozen units of the Singapore NGO’s in-house designed and developed water filtration systems, known as PedalPure, to help improve the quality of water for consumption. Each PedalPure has a filtration capacity of 700litres/hour. The 6 units were deployed at vulnerable areas in Gaza for affected communities including the northern area of Safa, located 400 metres from the Israeli border-town of Ashqelon.
MR Team 2 Coordinator Khairulnizam Massuan said, “The crisis faced by the Palestinians is a chronic one with no straightforward solutions. Due to the import restrictions imposed on them, it is less-than-convenient to bring in relief supplies to the Gazans. With the onset of the coldest 40 days of winter starting Christmas Day and the rough chilly winds from the Mediterranean Sea, the priority is to provide these refugees with food, heating and medicines to see their well-being through this next month, provided there is no further hostility in the meantime.”
Earlier in November, in response to the appeals made by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the Red Crescent Societies of Palestine and Egypt for humanitarian relief to Gaza, MR’s first relief mission was in Cairo and Jerusalem to work with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) and the WHO to provide SGD50,000 of medical supplies through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings respectively. Whilst in Israel then, the MR team visited the conflict-affected Israeli town of Kiryat Malachi to better understand the situation on both sides of the border.
Singapore’s faith-based institutions including the Taoist Federation, the Methodist Church, the Rahmatan Lil’ Alamin Foundation (RLAF) and Darul Arqam have stepped forward to contribute and support MR’s ongoing humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
(left) Ruins Unlimited –MR Team 2 witnessed extensive devastation in Gaza City.
(right)Tattered walls, tested wills –Children grow in least conducive living environment with little security and lack of hygiene.
(left) PedalPure on Gaza grounds – MR Team 2 personally delivers the 6 units of PedalPure at the PRCS warehouse in Gaza City.
(right) Chill Factor – Heaters were procured to keep the refugees warm with the onset of the peak winter season.
20kg not too heavy – Food parcels each containing 9 basic food items were distributed to refugee families living in dilapidated homes.
Spreading Aid – Distribution of food and heaters to vulnerable communities at a coastal camp (left) and the buffer zone area at Safa.
(left) Clean Cycle –Locals undergoing training by MR personnel on the mechanics and maintenance of the PedalPure at Safa.
(right) E.N.T –The set up of the Ear-Nose-Throat suite was completed at the Al Quds Hospital.
Thumbs up at sundown – MR Team 2 returning towards the border to Egypt at Rafah Crossing.
About Mercy Relief
Mercy Relief is a Singaporean humanitarian organisation which engages in both disaster relief and sustainable development programmes. It was established in 2003 as an independent non-governmental humanitarian charity responding to the human tragedies in Asia. Mercy Relief’s aid programme focuses on providing timely and effective assistance to disaster-stricken communities and has maintained the delivery of emergency aid within 72 hours from the point of appeal for assistance.
In the past 12 years, Mercy Relief has disbursed over S$32 million in aid across 40 disaster relief and 53 sustainable development initiatives. Mercy Relief has impacted an aggregate of 2 million lives in 24 countries and areas, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Yemen.
For more information, you may call us at 6514 6322 or email corporateaffairs@mercyrelief.org
