"The first phase of food aid shipped to the Palestinians was procured through funds offered by Indonesians from various parts of the country," he revealed.
The food aid was handed out to Gaza's residents due to extensive campaigning by volunteers of ACT, Indonesia's humanitarian organization, to raise funding during this holy month of Ramadhan, he explained.
Following the accrual of public funding, the second phase of food aid will be shipped. "We are receiving a steady stream of donated funds. The second shipment will be flagged off once the amount suffices," Agunisman remarked.
In the meantime, Andi Noor Faradiba, the Global Humanity Response-ACT volunteer, stated that the ACT volunteers have worked tirelessly to ensure that food supplies are maintained for the less fortunate in Gaza Strip during Ramadhan.
Hence, the volunteers have continued to hand out packages and ready-to-eat meals from the Indonesian Humanitarian Center to people in need at the pre-dawn meal event (sahur) and fast-breaking time, he revealed.
"This program is expected to lower the burden of Gaza's less fortunate people living under the ongoing Israel blockade and occupation," he stated.
Since the Soekarno era, Indonesia has always been in the vanguard to assist Palestinians in their unfinished struggles and has not faltered from its political position on the Palestinian issue.
In 1962, this founding father of Indonesia had made a statement that has since then served as a guiding beacon in the Indonesian foreign policy on Palestinian issues.
"As long as the freedom of Palestine has yet to be returned to the Palestinians, then it will forever be for Indonesia to stand in defiance against the occupation by Israel," President Soekarno had stated.
Translator: M.Hasanuddin, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
