Ashraf AboArafe
As long as Israel commits the deadliest massacre against about 2.5 mln civilian Palestinians.. Germany delivers humanitarian reflief supplies for civilians in Gaza
Touchdown at 2.15 p.m. in Al Arish, North Sinai: On December 19, a second plane from Germany arrived in Egypt with humanitarian aid supplies for Gaza. The 20-ton humanitarian cargo includes 120 large tents to help people in Gaza who currently have no roof over their heads. The German Special Envoy for Humanitarian Aid in the Near and Middle East, Deike Potzel, and the German Ambassador in Cairo, Frank Hartmann, traveled to North Sinai to personally coordinate the arrival and unloading of the German aid plane at Al Arish Airport. The relief supplies were handed over to the International Organization of Migration (IOM) of the United Nations, which is organizing the onward transport to the Gaza Strip. There, the relief supplies will be managed by employees of the aid organization “Norwegian Refugee Council”.
“We are strongly committed to alleviating the immeasurable suffering of the civilians in Gaza. Germany stands by the side of the injured, the traumatized, the people without a roof over their heads. That is why we have more than doubled our vital humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories in recent weeks to 202.5 million euros,” explained Special Envoy Potzel. “As of December 15, Germany is the largest donor of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories in 2023.”
A special German Air Force flight had already arrived in Cairo last Saturday, carrying high-quality medical equipment for the treatment of injured people from Gaza in Egypt. Further flights will follow: Germany is making a significant contribution to the aid flights planned by the European Union (EU) over the next days, which will deliver items such as camp beds, blankets and water filters.
During their trip to North Sinai, the German Special Envoy for Humanitarian Aid in the Near and Middle East, Deike Potzel, and the German Ambassador in Cairo, Frank Hartmann, also exchanged views with the Governor of North Sinai, Major General Mohamed Shousha, on the ongoing aid efforts in the current crisis. Moreover, Special Envoy Potzel and Ambassador Hartmann visited the Rafah border crossing to get a personal impression of the humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, as well as hospitals in North Sinai where people from Gaza are being treated.
