Lolwah Al Khater is the first high-ranking Arab official to enter the besieged Palestinian enclave since the start of the Israeli assault.
Officials from the Christian churches steering committee alongside the Qatar Fund for Development set out on a humanitarian mission aboard a Qatari aid flight bound for El Arish in Egypt on Sunday for Palestinians in Gaza.
Eleven tonnes of humanitarian aid was sent for Palestinians in Gaza through Qatar’s 36th aid flight to El Arish, and are currently being transferred to the Rafah crossing in Egypt awaiting entry into the besieged enclave.
The Qatari aid included essential food supplies including flour, oil, sugar, and canned food.
There, the Chair of the Christian Churches Steering Committee Father Charbel Mhana and Archbishop Makarios Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Qatar were greeted by Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lolwah Al Khater.
Al Khater is the first high-ranking Arab official to enter the besieged Palestinian enclave since the start of the Israeli assault.
The much-needed aid comes as Israel unleashes a relentless bombing campaign killing 21,022, including over 8,000 children.
Qatar had successfully mediated a temporary truce that began on November 24 and was renewed twice before ending on Friday morning, lasting a total of seven days.
Doha has said efforts to renew the lapsed truce are ongoing, and that ultimately the mediating country is looking to secure a permanent ceasefire.
Immediately after the expiration of the truce on Friday, Israel resumed its bombing of the Gaza Strip and has so far killed more than 200 Palestinians.
Around 1.7 million people, or close to 80% of Gaza’s total population, are displaced from their homes.
The Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza has given rise to a dire humanitarian crisis, with an impending threat of mass starvation and hunger looming over Palestinians.
The relentless violence has disrupted essential services, as Palestinians rely on contaminated water sources, with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warning that their lack of access to proper sanitation and hygiene, waterborne diseases will inevitably spread.
