Israeli forces have killed at least 21,672 Palestinians since the start of the genocide in Gaza on October 7.

Qatar Cyclists Center embarked on a charity bicycle ride along the scenic Doha Corniche on Friday morning.

The sporting event garnered over 650 participants who registered and donated, with more than 400 people taking on the ride.

The ones participating first congregated at the Museum of Islamic Art Park at 6 AM, which saw them cycling towards the Sheraton Hotel and back to the starting point.

This second edition of the charity sports event was done in collaboration with Qatar Charity and the Palestinian House.

“This edition of the charity ride was under exceptional circumstances, as the
people of Gaza in Palestine have been under aggression and genocide since
the 7th of October of this year,” a statement read.

Participants paid a registration fee of 150 Qatari riyals, contributing to relief projects in Gaza facilitated by Qatar Charity.

Several prominent companies rallied behind this humanitarian cause as sponsors and donated, including Ooredoo, Snoonu, Chery Qatar, Al Rayyan Water, and Al Mandarin.

Anas Al-Hajj, a member of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, stressed the significance of such events in merging sports with social responsibility. He highlighted the urgency for a collective response to the injustice that has unfolded since the start of the Gaza genocide.

Expressing the Qatar Cyclists Center’s commitment to purposeful activities, Mohammed Al Muftah, a member at the centre, expressed their dedication to initiatives that promote awareness and humanitarian goals.

The Israeli occupation forces have killed at least 21,672 Palestinians since the start of the genocide in Gaza on October 7, according to the latest figures from Palestine’s health ministry.

The Israeli bombardment of Gaza has left the enclave in ruins, with 60% of its infrastructure severely damaged or destroyed, and over 80% of Gaza’s population, nearly 1.9 million people, now displaced, amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines.

As of Tuesday, Qatar had dispatched nearly 1,600 tonnes of aid for Gaza through 52 flights by Qatar Armed Forces aircraft.

On December 13, Qatar pledged $50 million at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva as an initial humanitarian aid package for Gaza.

On December 18, Sheikh Tamim donated QAR 100 million (around $27.5 million) to back the local “Palestine Duty” charity campaign. The campaign gathered a total of QAR 200,048,750 (around $55 million) in donations for Gaza.