The Maldives has launched a nationwide telethon titled ‘We are with Palestine,’ aimed at collecting much-needed funds for Palestinians in Gaza who are facing an escalating humanitarian crisis, as Israel, edged on by its allies, continues to wreak devastation upon the people of Palestine. The one-day telethon, which began at 10:30 a.m., will continue until midnight tonight.
The telethon, organised by local media outlets in collaboration with the International Aid Campaign (IAC), is broadcast live across several channels including TVM, SSTV, Dhivehi Channel, Channel 13, VTV, Ice TV, CNM, VaguthuTV, Next and Muizzu TV. Online newspapers Sun Online, One Online, and Voice are also participating in the telethon.
The telethon hopes to bring into focus the plight of the Palestinian people and to deliver them much needed humanitarian aid as harsh and disproportionate atrocities continue to be piled on their civilian population by the state of Israel.
The IAC has so far raised more than MVR 9 million, approximately US$580,000.
Telethon aid donations for Palestine can be made to;
Bank: Bank of Maldives
Account Name: International Aid Campaign
Account Number: 7770000062741
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Israeli forces continue to indiscriminately target and kill civilians in Gaza, women and children, in the thousands. Unrelenting acts of war have left Gaza in ruins as Israel continues its aggressive posturing and intensifies attacks, bolstered by unequivocal support from the United States as well as other Western and world governments.
In the ongoing military offensive in Gaza, Israel has so far killed over 2,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded more than 10,000.
An estimated 1,200 people, including around 500 minors, are believed to be trapped under the debris in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health authorities.
The United Nations agency supporting Palestinian refugees reports that an estimated one million Gazans have been displaced within the first seven days of Israeli bombardment. Aid groups continue to describe the situation in the besieged enclave as “catastrophic.”