CAIRO, EGYPT — Dompet Dhuafa, in collaboration with other members of the Indonesian Humanitarian Alliances (IHA) consortium, has signed a Bilateral Cooperation Agreement (Letter of Agreement/LoA) with the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC). The ERC is the official body designated by the Egyptian government to coordinate humanitarian aid to Gaza, and this agreement aims to streamline the delivery of humanitarian assistance from the Indonesian community to Palestine.
The agreement, signed on Wednesday (6/12/2023) in Nasr City, Cairo, is intended to ensure that the emergency disaster response in Gaza adheres to international humanitarian standards. The signing ceremony was attended by the ERC President, the Honorable Dr. Ramy Elnazer, the IHA Delegation led by Arif Rahmadi and Kholaf Hibatullah, and representatives from consortium member organizations.
Dr. Ramy, in his address, expressed gratitude to the Indonesian Humanitarian Alliances: “I would like to thank all the NGOs within the Indonesian Humanitarian Alliances for entrusting the ERC with the task of managing humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza during the ongoing humanitarian conflict in Palestine.”
The rising military tensions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have heightened fears and concerns among the local population. The indiscriminate bombardment by Israel targeting public facilities and civilian residences in Palestine has seemingly been ignored by world leaders, with little regard for the loss of innocent lives.
According to sources such as Al Jazeera, the US Census Bureau, the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and UNRWA, the conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in over 16,250 fatalities, including 7,112 children, the destruction of more than 280,000 homes, the shutdown of 20 hospitals, and the displacement of over 1,900,000 individuals.
Arif Rahmadi, leading the Dompet Dhuafa-IHA Humanitarian Team Delegation, remarked during the meeting: “Dompet Dhuafa, in partnership with IHA, pledges to provide 500,000 USD in aid to support the Palestinian people amid the ongoing conflict. We earnestly hope for the establishment of a permanent ceasefire agreement. All IHA members are dedicated to continuing their support for the Palestinian people’s cause.” (Dompet Dhuafa/IHA/DMulyadi)