The state broadcaster Public Service Media (PSM) has concluded a nationwide telethon titled “Falastheenaa’eku Dhivehi” to raise funds for the Palestinian people amid the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The crisis has deteriorated due to ongoing Israeli attacks and its continued blockade of humanitarian aid from entering the occupied enclave.
The telethon, which ran from 8 a.m. until midnight on Wednesday, was a concerted effort to raise funds to assist the beleaguered residents of Gaza. PSM placed donation boxes across 13 locations Malé City and opened two bank accounts to accept contributions in Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) and US Dollars (US$).
As of 1:10 a.m. on Thursday, donations had reached MVR 14.8 million, according to PSM. An audit conducted by Crowe Maldives, an independent audit firm, revealed that the donation boxes collected MVR 723,948, USD 1,343, and Euro 81 in cash. Furthermore, the dedicated bank accounts amassed contributions totalling MVR 6.8 million and US$33,950.
The funds raised are designated for delivery to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) through the Maldives’ Foreign Ministry, ensuring they contribute effectively to the relief efforts in Gaza.
Israeli forces have killed at least 37,232 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 85,000 others in Gaza since 7 October.
Israeli forces have also destroyed around 75 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship, while the continued blockade on essential aid has pushed Gaza’s 2.5 million population into starvation, worsening the enclave’s already dire situation.
