PUTRAJAYA, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Wednesday launched the Gaza Fund to raise money to purchase a cargo boat to transport aid to Gaza.
He said there was urgency in raising funds for the purchase of the vessel because with winter approaching, the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza would worsen.
He also welcomed Malaysians to volunteer and join the effort since they needed as much participation as possible.
"Of course, there is limitation in terms of the capacity on board.
"But we want to carry building materials as we need to rebuild the houses, because they (Palestinians) are now living in tents and when winter comes, it will be terrible for the old, sick and children. Many of them may die because of the winter," he told reporters at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, here.
Also present were his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, chairman of the Free Gaza Movement Huwaida Arraf and trustee of Yayasan Salam Datuk Ahmad A. Talib.
Mahathir also announced that the prime minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is the patron of the Palestinian Humanitarian Fund, donated RM1.5 million to the Gaza Fund.
It also received another RM100,000 from individuals and companies after the launching.
"I think we need about RM3.5 milion to buy the boat. Beyond that, of course we need to buy supplies, construction materials and other things so that they can rebuild their city," he said.
Until now, the besieged Gaza Strip has stayed free of the novel coronavirus spreading across the world. As the Gaza Strip has been under a stringent Israeli-led blockade for nearly 13 years, the spread of the coronavirus - officially known as COVID-19 - has become the topic of discussion for many Palestinians, with some joking that the blockade was preventing them from being exposed.But as authorities in the coastal Palestinian enclave gear up to contain any potential outbreak, serious questions have arisen about the risks and implications of such a scenario. But given its already difficult humanitarian situation and high population density, an outbreak in the Gaza Strip could prove to be catastrophic, health officials have warned. "If the virus enters Gaza and spreads, it will get out of hand," Gaza Ministry of Health spokesperson Majdi Thuhair told Middle East Eye, as he explained that a severe shortage of resources and personnel would make it near impossible
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