Dubai Community Bands Together to Pack Aid Boxes for Palestinians in Gaza
Dubai, UAE – Hundreds of volunteers from various backgrounds came together on Saturday to help pack boxes of essential aid items for Palestinian families in Gaza. The event, which took place at Al Rimal Hall, witnessed heavy traffic congestion as people eagerly participated in the UAE’s ongoing efforts to provide assistance to those in need.
Despite the chaotic traffic, the atmosphere outside the hall was filled with solemnity as volunteers joined forces to contribute to the relief campaign for Palestine. Men, women, and children stood side by side, packing boxes with vital supplies such as canned food, powdered milk, instant cereal, hygiene kits, and other necessities.
The initiative, named Compassion for Gaza campaign, was organized by Emirates Red Crescent, the World Food Programme, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Community Development. Speaking to The National, Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organisations Affairs, revealed their ambitious goal of distributing 13,000 aid boxes, including food baskets, women’s baskets, and children’s baskets.
Al Shamsi emphasized the importance of providing ready-to-eat food that meets international safety standards, as many Gazans lack access to cooking facilities. He also commended the overwhelming support received from the community, with more than 20 NGOs and countless individual volunteers participating in the campaign.
In order to accommodate everyone, organizers established rotating shifts to ensure maximum participation in the noble cause. The campaign will continue at Abu Dhabi’s National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) and Sharjah’s Expo Centre on Sunday, with more events planned in the coming weeks.
Al Shamsi highlighted that the drive is a testament to the UAE’s unwavering commitment to providing aid to Gaza. He emphasized the significance of facilitating access to aid and expressed the UAE’s readiness to send further assistance, citing the long queues of trucks waiting to enter Gaza.
The selflessness demonstrated by the volunteers was truly moving. One such volunteer, Mahira Zakiuddin, a 42-year-old school counselor from Pakistan, brought her two children with her and stated, “There is little that we can do, but I would like to think that someone would do the same for my children, should anything happen.”
Ayman Al Souq, another volunteer who has lived in the UAE for nearly four decades, shared his family’s personal connection to Gaza. Their homes in the Al Rimal neighborhood were destroyed in Israeli air strikes, compelling them to relocate to Deir Al Balah. Ayman’s 11-year-old daughter, Jude, expressed her sadness at the destruction and emphasized her hope for a better future for the children of Gaza.
Volunteers like Gieetha Kanaan from India, a professor at BITS Pilani Institute of Technology and Science in Dubai, emphasized the importance of setting an example for her students and called for compassion and an end to violence. Emirati volunteer Shamsa Ali, working with the Red Crescent, voiced her motivation to help the people of Gaza and encouraged others to join the cause.
The campaign aims to prepare 25,000 relief packages with the help of volunteers from across the UAE, as well as support from public and private institutions. The initiative demonstrates the solidarity of the Dubai community and their determination to make a difference in the lives of those affected by the conflict in Gaza.
Updated: October 21, 2023, 2:31 PM
Dubai sees large crowds assembling to package aid for Gaza
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