KUALA LUMPUR: The Egyptian government today gave its assurance to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid from Malaysia for the Palestinians affected by the atrocities of the Israelis Defence Forces in Gaza.
Egyptian Ambassador to Malaysia Ragai Tawfik Said Nasr said Malaysia-Egypt "excellent" and close ties at all levels had helped in expediting the delivery of humanitarian aid from Malaysia to the people of Palestine.
He added that shipments from Malaysia containing aid for Palestinians was always and would continue to be given priority by the authorities in Egypt to enter Gaza.
"In this regard, full cooperation and coordination is taking place between both governments to make sure that assistance is delivered on time to the most in need of it," he told reporters here today.
Ragai Tawfik added that to date, Malaysia had seen three airborne aid shipments beginning Nov 4 last year. The first and second shipments contained a combined total of 40 tonnes of food and medical supplies.
About a month later, the third shipment containing 60 tonnes of food, medical materials, equipment and winter clothing left Malaysia for the people in Gaza.
Ragai Tawfik said that the Egyptian government remained prepared to extend further aid to Malaysia, which is preparing to voyage to Egypt this month with a new shipment comprising 100 tonnes of aid.
"We are waiting for the updates from Malaysia on the matter," he said.
He also praised Malaysia, the Malaysian government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as well as the people in the country for their continuous generosity and for being very responsive when it came to the Palestinian cause.
"Malaysia and Egypt are cooperating on the Gaza issue at all levels in view of the current excellent relations existing between the two countries," he said.
Similar to Malaysia, Ragai Tawfik said Egypt had also been responsive and conducted several efforts to help the Palestinians affected by the situation in Gaza.
He said 75 per cent of the total humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza was from the Egyptian Government with a total of 145,000 tonnes including fuel, food and water, medical supplies and equipment and clothes.
"Egypt established a field hospital in Rafah inside Gaza and two shelters in Rafah and Khan Younis and efforts are currently ongoing to establish a third one in Khan Younis.
"And since the beginning of the war, 16 Egyptian hospitals with 35,000 Egyptian doctors have treated 42,000 injured Palestinians, all of whom were discharged.
"As we speak, 3,000 severely injured Palestinians are still receiving their treatment in Egyptian hospitals," he said.