CAIRO, EGYPT — Following the ceasefire in Palestine, the Dompet Dhuafa-Indonesian Humanitarian Alliance (IHA) Humanitarian Team, currently in Cairo, Egypt, continues to make various efforts to facilitate the entry of aid for the residents of Gaza, Palestine. One such effort is an audience with the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt.
On Friday (24/11/2023), the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt, Lutfi Rauf, invited the Dompet Dhuafa-IHA Humanitarian Team and other Indonesian humanitarian organizations in Egypt for a discussion. Among the topics discussed was the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, which resumed on 7 October 2023.
At the meeting, the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt provided key guidance on the need for coordination among various parties and humanitarian aid organizations in Indonesia, including those currently in Egypt. Coordination is also necessary with partners in Egypt. This is crucial to ensure that Indonesian aid is jointly managed well and can be targeted accurately both during the fundraising and preparation process in Indonesia and in the delivery and distribution stages through Egypt.
This coordination is also necessary considering the challenges and field conditions, especially within the Gaza region, which are not easy. The need for humanitarian aid is also expected to be required for a considerable length of time, covering the emergency response phase, recovery/reconstruction, and rehabilitation, thus requiring sustained effort and resources to continue assisting the people of Gaza.
In his discussion, Arif Rahmadi, Head of the Dompet Dhuafa-IHA Humanitarian Team Delegation, stated, “IHA is a consortium of humanitarian and ZISWAF (zakat, charity, alms, and endowment) institutions in Indonesia focused on humanitarian issues. Seeing what’s happening in Palestine, we are collaborating to collect aid from all member institutions.”
The presence of the Dompet Dhuafa-IHA humanitarian team represents a commitment to the donors who have entrusted their contributions to be distributed to the people of Gaza promptly. IHA is a consortium of humanitarian and ZISWAF institutions in Indonesia, consisting of Dompet Dhuafa, Human Initiative, Nurul Hayat, Rumah Zakat, BMH, Yatim Mandiri, DT Peduli, Muhammadiyah Aid, LMI, YDSF, and zakat institutions members of the Zakat Forum (FOZ).
Baca juga: Ceritakan Pedihnya Kondisi Gaza, Dompet Dhuafa dan Husein Gaza Kuatkan KolaborAksi Bantu Palestina
“We have also coordinated with the Indonesian Embassy to be facilitated in communicating with the UPA (United Procurement Agency). Furthermore, we have been connected with the ERC (Egyptian Red Crescent) as the sole official agency of the Egyptian Government for channeling aid to Palestine,” he continued.
“Dompet Dhuafa, along with IHA, has sent aid through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2 packages totaling 6 tons, which have been dispatched by President Jokowi. Next, Dompet Dhuafa-IHA is also preparing a third package of 11 humanitarian trucks equivalent to 176 tons of aid in Cairo, which will be dispatched soon,” concluded Arif Rahmadi. (Dompet Dhuafa/IHA/DMulyadi)