$4.2m raised for Palestinians in Gaza, S'pore charity's highest in a single campaign

Palestinian health officials say more than 250 people have been killed by air strikes. PHOTO: REUTERS

SINGAPORE - Local charity Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) has collected more than $4.2 million to help Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the highest amount it has raised in a single campaign.

In just nine days, it raised $4,241,350 in humanitarian aid for communities in Gaza affected by the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict there, RLAF said on Friday (June 4).

The fund-raising initiative was held from May 22 to 30 to provide aid in the form of health, relief and social services.

RLAF - the first three words of the charity mean "blessings to all" in Arabic - collaborated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for this collection.

The 12-year-old RLAF said: "A diverse spectrum of contributors came forward to donate generously towards the cause. These included individuals from all walks of life, different faith groups, businesses, mosque groups, as well as civic groups which rallied their members to donate."

The renewed hostilities began on May 10. A ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militants who run the Gaza Strip officially came into force on May 21.

Palestinian health officials say more than 250 people have been killed by air strikes. The Israeli death toll stands at 13.

RLAF said that in compliance with regulations, the funds it has collected will be handed over to the UNRWA after they have been consolidated and approved by the Commissioner of Charities (COC).

The charity will also go through audit certification and the report will be submitted to the COC.

The funds will be used by UNRWA, a group actively operating on the ground in Gaza, to directly provide health, relief and social services for communities there, including providing emergency food supplies and hospitalisation.

RLAF thanked all individuals and groups that have contributed to its fund-raising effort, noting that they have done so despite the economic uncertainties brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The charity pointed out that it could not carry out physical fund raising because of the pandemic, and instead used multiple online platforms to collect donations.

"We hope that through this contribution, the contributions of the Singapore community will bring relief to ease the plight of affected communities in Gaza," it said.

The foundation was established by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) in July 2009 to provide grants for humanitarian and community development projects.

It has so far sent aid to 49 humanitarian relief projects overseas, including aid last year to flood survivors in Jakarta and to help victims of wildfires in Australia.

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