Nation donates aid of US$500,000 to Gaza NGO

HUMANITARIAN RELIEF: The donations were used to help transport and distribute food, drinking water, clothing, tents and other supplies to people in Gaza

Taiwan has donated US$500,000 to non-governmental organization Mercy Corps to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

The ministry condemned the Palestinian armed group Hamas after it launched a terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7 last year, Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Anthony Ho (賀忠義) told a news conference.

It also expressed condolences to the Israeli government and the victims of the terrorist attacks, he said.

Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the ministry has been paying close attention to the development of the situation and maintained close contact with like-minded countries to provide necessary care and humanitarian assistance to those affected by the war, he said.

The government has donated US$500,000 to Mercy Corps, an international non-governmental humanitarian aid organization, to help with humanitarian and relief efforts in Gaza, he said.

The organization’s branch in Palestine used donations from Taiwan to transport and distribute food, drinking water, clothing, tents and other supplies to people in Gaza, he said, adding that the efforts are still ongoing.

The ministry hopes that all parties involved in the war can uphold the spirit of the previous ceasefire agreement, and continue mediation and communication to bring peace to the Middle East, he said.

Meanwhile, the ministry urged caution when traveling to Africa due to concerns about diseases, and severe flooding and landslides caused by continuous torrential rain.

A cholera epidemic is still spreading in many countries in southern Africa, Ho said.

Following epidemics reported in Zambia and Zimbabwe in October last year, Malawi and the southeastern African island country of Comoros have also reported cholera outbreaks, he said.

The WHO has listed three southern African countries — Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar — as high-risk countries for polio, he said.

Concerning infectious disease risks in southern Africa also include anthrax in Botswana and Zambia, he added.

Regarding natural disasters, Kenya and Zambia have been facing continuous torrential rain since last month, which led to severe flooding and landslides, Ho said, adding that another powerful tropical cyclone is to hit the coastal areas of Tanzania this week.

Medical experts warned that after the floods recede, unclean water sources might cause infectious diseases, he said.

People who are visiting the areas as well as overseas Taiwanese in the countries are advised to pay attention to the developments of the epidemics and natural disasters, he said.

Those in need of emergency help can contact the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa if in southern Africa or the Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland if in eastern Africa, he said.