PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's third shipment of humanitarian aid for Palestinians is expected to leave the country for Palestine on Dec 18.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the third shipment will be loaded with about 60 tonnes in humanitarian aid containing medical supplies, food as well as items and supplies needed for babies.
"The third shipment is three times higher compared to the first shipment of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians which arrived in Gaza on Nov 10.
"I hope Malaysians will continue to provide the necessary assistance for the Palestinians following the development in Gaza," he told reporters here today.
Present was Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Zahid said the second shipment of humanitarian aid from Malaysia for the Palestinians, weighing 16 tonnes, arrived in Gaza on Nov 11.
It was reported that the country's first shipment of humanitarian aid for Palestinians weighing 20 tonnes, including medical supplies, loaded on a special cargo plane, departed for Al-Arish International Airport, Egypt early last month.
The cargo plane took off from the Cargo Terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang and the humanitarian aid was handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society, acting as a partner to bring them into Gaza through the Rafah border.