KUWAIT: Kuwait sent its first relief flight to Gaza on Sunday, delivering 10 tons of food supplies as part of a new airlift campaign aimed at easing the severe humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory. The flight departed from Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base and is headed to Al-Arish International Airport in Egypt, where the aid will be transferred safely into Gaza. This effort is part of a campaign organized by the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) in cooperation with the Ministries of Social Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Defense, with logistical support from the Kuwaiti Air Force.

“The launch of the Kuwaiti air bridge and the first relief flights to Gaza embody the efforts of official bodies following the high directives in the country to support our Palestinian brothers during their humanitarian hardships,” Fawaz Al-Mazrouei, Director General of the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society, who accompanied the flight, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA),

Kuwait’s campaign comes as Gaza faces catastrophic conditions. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 61,430 Palestinians have been killed in the Zionist entity’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023. This includes 217 who died from hunger — 100 of them children. The ministry also noted that 35 Palestinians were killed and over 304 injured while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 1,778, with over 12,894 others wounded since May 27. Al-Mazrouei said the campaign reflects Kuwait’s “deep humanitarian vision and ongoing support for those in need worldwide.”

Earlier this week, Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs announced that the nationwide donation campaign had raised KD 11.5 million. Funds are being used to purchase food and other essentials through the Kuwait Flour Mills Company, with KRCS overseeing procurement.

Al-Mazrouei also highlighted continued coordination with the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent societies to ensure aid reaches Gaza safely and that the most urgent needs are prioritized. He added that arrangements are underway with government bodies to add more flights in the coming days. “The State of Kuwait, its leadership and people, stand with the brothers in times of crisis, consistent with its historic role as a center for humanitarian work,” he said. — Agencies