Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Alms Agency (Baznas) has called on Indonesian Muslims to continue to pray for the safety of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and channel their charitable donations for them.

Those keen on donating may channel their funds to baznas.go.id/sedekahduniaislam or transfer them to Baznas' BSI account 100.426.6893, the agency's officer for distribution and utilization, Saidah Sakwan, stated.

According to Sakwan, the first batch of Baznas' humanitarian aid packages for Palestine, weighing 21 tons, had been received by the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) on Friday to be then transported to Egypt on Saturday.

He said the logistics aid packages comprise food, devices for people with disabilities, winter packs, family kits, and hygiene kits.

They were collected from several partners of Baznas, including Baznas' regional offices, Laznas Yakesma, Rumah Zakat, JSIT Indonesia, Kitabisa.com, Attaqwa Putri Bekasi, Shopee, Ayobantu.com, Tokopedia, Bukalapak, and Blibli, he remarked.

Following the delivery of this first batch, Baznas has planned to distribute its aid packages for Palestine directly through the Rafah border crossing in Egypt, he revealed.

To this end, Baznas will coordinate with the Indonesian Embassy in Egypt and the Egyptian Red Cross, Sakwan noted.

Related news: Humanitarian aid distribution to Gaza in two batches: Deputy Minister

On Saturday morning, Indonesian President Joko Widodo sent off the first batch of Indonesia's humanitarian assistance for Palestine at the Halim Perdana Kusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta.

Palestine and Israel's new armed conflict erupted again following a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel early on the morning of October 7.

Prior to the assaults by Palestinian liberation fighters, Israel had continued its closure of Gaza crossings.

Palestine's news agency WAFA reported on September 25 that the Israeli closure of Gaza crossings had worsened the living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza.

According to WAFA, the Palestinians had already suffered from the severe impacts of "more than 17 years of tight Israeli land, sea, and air blockades."

Al Jazeera quoted Hamas, which governs Gaza, as stating that its assault on Israel was "a response to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence."

In response to the unprecedented surprise attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas and, according to Al Jazeera, pledged that the Israeli forces would "turn all Hamas hideouts into rubble."

The ongoing Israeli genocidal campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip, which is home to more than two million people, has resulted in the deaths of several thousand Palestinian civilians and led to a humanitarian crisis.

Related news: President Jokowi sends off humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza

Related news: Indonesia ready to send hospital ship to treat Palestinian refugees

Translator: Asep F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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