Pakistan sends 19th relief consignment of 100 tonnes to Gaza

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan dispatched its 19th humanitarian consignment to Gaza on Saturday, sending 100 tonnes of relief goods on a chartered flight coordinated by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in partnership with Alkhidmat Foundation.

The consignment departed from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport at 10:30 am, witnessed by Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan alongside NDMA and Alkhidmat representatives.

According to NDMA, the shipment included flour, ready-to-eat meals, cooking oil, jam and canned fruit. This latest dispatch brings Pakistan’s total aid to 1,915 tonnes, sent across 19 consignments to Gaza since the escalation of the conflict in October 2023.

The flight will route through Egypt’s Al Arish before reaching Gaza.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

The aid comes as Gaza faces mounting casualties and worsening famine. At least 37 people, including four children, were reported killed in Israeli strikes in the early hours of Saturday.

UN declares famine in Gaza, first ever in the Middle East

On Friday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that around 514,000 people – nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population – are already experiencing famine. This is the first famine classification recorded outside Africa, with projections that conditions will spread to Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of next month.

More than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.