Jeddah,4.2.09
As part of the ongoing Alaqsa Fund relief supplies to Palestine, 80 tons of medicine and medical supplies and 200 tons of flour were shipped to Gaza. The medicine and medical supplies were delivered to Al Shifa hospital through the Ministry of Health in Gaza, while the 200 tons of flour were shipped through the Egyptian Red Crescent to be distributed by the UNRWA. These shipments worth US$25 million are part of Alaqsa Fund relief assistance package. Part of the fund will also go towards rebuilding the ruined infrastructure in Gaza as well as the reconstruction of schools and hospitals. The Alaqsa Fund has been created by the Arab Summit that was held in Egypt in 2000 and managed by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Its mission is to extend help to the Palestinian people in their time of need. So far US$4 million in relief assistance packages have been extended by the Fund. These packages were disbursed through various institutions including the Egyptian Red Crescent, the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the AGFUND. More relief supplies including food and medical are on their way to the Gaza strip and will be distributed within Gaza through various other institutions such as Qatar Red Crescent, and the Jordanian Hashemite Relief and Philanthropic Agency