MEDIA STATEMENT


KUALA LUMPUR, MONDAY, January 5, 2009 – Emergency supplies for victims of the Israeli attack on Gaza is lining the Egyptian border but there is where they remain.

For the past day, trucks from the Palestinian side have not been able to collect even life-saving goods as Israel continues with land and air assaults.

“We are about 2 kilometres from Palestine. This is truly a case of „so near and yet so far‟,” MERCY Malaysia President Datuk Dr Jemilah Mahmood said in an email to MERCY Malaysia Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Five trucks, loaded with USD100,000 worth of valuable medicine, surgical sets, and disposable items including syringes, intravenous infusions and bandages, was expected to arrive at the Egyptian border town in Rafah tomorrow.

Dr Jemilah is leading a 3-member MERCY Malaysia team in a joint humanitarian team from various agencies totalling seven team members, which includes three other Malaysians.

MERCY Malaysia, an international humanitarian organisation, in partnership with several other non-governmental organisations (NGOs), are attempting to put together a logistics pipeline to ensure that aid is channelled to the proper parties in Gaza.

“The plan is to wait till border opens and push trucks - and ourselves - through to the crossing and handover the items to the Palestine Ministry of Health,” Dr Jemilah said.

The items will be distributed to 13 hospitals.

Procuring drugs and medical equipment in Gaza itself was still possible, but stores are expected to run low on supply soon. The MERCY Malaysia team managed to procure emergency relief items from Egypt.

“We were fortunate to have our order cleared last night,” she said.

The needs for non-medical items are also high.

“There is hardly any heating left and many are exposed and vulnerable,” Dr Jemilah said.

She said co-ordination between NGOs and other related agencies were paramount.

“If all goes well, the team will be heading to Al Arish to try to meet counterparts from other NGOs and map out coordination strategies,” she said.

“We will try our best and stay till we can assure our aid goes through. Many people have been kind to us here, including Malaysian students studying here and the Malaysian Embassy.

“The Egyptian Red Crescent and Arab Medical Union have also been invaluable in providing assistance and support to us,” she added.

Dr Jemilah said that many were in awe that Malaysians were present to help.

“It gives a good feeling of solidarity with the many nationalities and organisations that are here to help,” she said.