Singapore charity starts new round of fund raising to ease Gaza humanitarian crisis
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A Palestinian child receiving a polio vaccination at a camp for displaced people in central Gaza on Feb 23.
PHOTO: AFP
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SINGAPORE – The Rahmatan Lil Alamin (Blessings To All) Foundation (RLAF) has kicked off a new round of fund raising for children and families in Gaza.
The foundation’s latest effort – its fourth so far – will focus on delivering food, water, medical supplies, healthcare services and educational support.
It began on Feb 24 and runs until April 6.
“While we are heartened with the ceasefire... we recognise that further aid is still urgently required,” RLAF said in a statement on Feb 24.
Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which have been at war since October 2023,
RLAF is working with the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Egyptian Red Crescent and local organisation Humanity Matters.
It is also coordinating fund-raising activities with M3@Towns, which is participating as part of its SG60 community initiative.
M3 is a tie-up between self-help group Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council.
The activities include Ramadan porridge distribution, community breaking of fast, Ramadan bento meals distribution and events at Ramadan bazaars throughout the month of Ramadan.
A Republic of Singapore Air Force plane earlier in February delivered some nine tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The supplies were from the Ministry of Health and non-governmental organisation partners Relief SG, Mercy Relief, and Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives Singapore.
Planners from the Singapore Armed Forces accompanying the mission also assessed the needs and feasibility of contributing in other ways to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza, such as the potential deployment of medical teams.
On a trip to Cairo in the same month, Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad explored areas for further collaboration between Singapore and Egypt, particularly in medical assistance, to support the humanitarian efforts for Gaza.
Some 1.9 million Gazans have been displaced since Israel launched its invasion of Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023.
More than 1.7 million are confined to an area of just 48 sq km. This has led to extreme overcrowding and a public health catastrophe, with threats from waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea, hepatitis and polio, putting children aged two and below particularly at risk.
Most of Gaza’s children have already lost access to quality education.
Damage to at least 534 schools is setting back the education of the enclave’s 658,760 school-aged children by up to five years, the RLAF statement said.
How to donate
All mosques across Singapore will have Aid for Gaza 2025 donation boxes from March 7 to 14. Donations under this campaign are eligible for a 100 per cent tax deduction under the Overseas Humanitarian Assistance Tax Deduction Scheme.
Members of the public can also make donations via:
PayNow – key in RLAF’s UEN 200910530ZRLA and indicate AIDFORGAZA2025 under remarks
GivePlease – go to
tinyurl.com/aidgaza2025
Giving.sg – campaign at
tinyurl.com/gazaaid2025
Interbank transfer via RLAF – transfer to OCBC current account number 601313315001, or
Issue a cheque payable to RAHMATAN LIL ALAMIN FOUNDATION LTD. At the back of the cheque, state the donor’s name, contact number and indicate AIDFORGAZA2025. Mail the cheque to RLAF (Masjid Yusof Ishak, No 10 Woodlands Drive 17, Level 4, Singapore 737740).
