Prince Sultan charity convoy for poor families of Gaza leaves Amman

24 October 2011
Amman

The Campaign of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the Relief of the Palestinian People of Gaza is sending 175 tons of rice to Gaza this week. The shipment is the third instalment of a major donation of food despatched under the direction of HRH Prince Nayef, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior and Supervisor of the Saudi Committee for the Support of the Palestinian People. The shipment is being arranged jointly by the Jordanian Royal Hashemite Organisation (JHCO) and UNRWA.

A send-off ceremony was held at the warehouses of the JHCO to mark the departure of the food convoy, attended by Mr Mubarak Al Bakr, Executive Director of the Saudi Committee, Mr Abdel-Rahman bin Saleh Al-Subyani, representative of the Saudi Embassy in Amman, Mr Ahmad Mohammad Al-Imyan, Secretary General of the JHCO, and Mr Peter Ford, Representative of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA.

Welcoming the donation, Mr Filippo Grandi, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, said: "This donation could not come at a better time. Even after this donation the Agency urgently needs US$ 10 million to ensure sufficient food to maintain UNRWA services through into the New Year, which is why we recently launched a special appeal for Gaza. Once more the Agency is profoundly grateful to HRH King Abdullah, HRH Prince Nayef, and the government and people of Saudi Arabia for their constant concern to help the population of Gaza, which, despite their happiness over the recent release of prisoners, remains subject to a severe blockade causing acute impoverishment. In light of the sad passing away of Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz, who was well known for his humanitarian concern, both internally within the Kingdom and externally, we have decided to name this convoy after Prince Sultan, may he rest in peace."

The agreement providing for the three instalments of food was signed in June 2011. Since the attack on Gaza between December 2008 and January 2009, the Campaign of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the Relief of the Palestinian People of Gaza has made donations to UNRWA worth a total of US$ 10.3 million.

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For more information please contact:

Ms Anwar Abu-Sakieneh
Acting/Public Information Officer
UNRWA/Jordan Field Office
Tel.: 5809136
Mobile: 079/5671888
Email: a.abu-sakieneh@unrwa.org