Faisal Edhi seeks visa for Palestine to help people there

Head of the largest humanitarian organisation Faisal Edhi announced on Monday that he has approached the Palestinian embassy in Pakistan for a visa to fly to the country and help its citizens that are under attack by the Israeli forces.

“We want to take part in the relief work in Palestine via the Edhi Foundation. Five people, including my son Saad Edhi [and myself], will be going to Palestine,” Faisal told Geo News on Monday. He said that he will be going to Palestine via Egypt, adding that he has applied for a visa for the country.

The son of renowned philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi said that a few representatives of Edhi foundation met with the Palestinian ambassador in Islamabad and were told that there is a dire need of medicines in the war-torn country.

The chairman of the Edhi Foundation said that his organisation will buy food and medicine from Egypt, adding that the foundation has set aside a budget of “Rs25-30 million” for the purpose.

“We do not want any support from the government as we will do everything with the help of people,” said Edhi to a question. He added that the five people visiting the country will be in contact with the Pakistani embassy in Cairo.

To a question about the length of his trip, Faisal said that the decision will be taken once they reach Palestine and assesses the situation at the ground.

Nearly 200 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks

Israeli air strikes hammered the Gaza Strip Monday after a week of violence that has killed nearly 200 Palestinians, despite international calls for de-escalation.

Before dawn, in the space of just a few minutes, dozens of Israeli strikes bombarded the crowded coastal Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas, according to AFP journalists and the army.

Flames lit up the sky as intense explosions shook Gaza city, sparking widespread power cuts and damaging hundreds of buildings, local authorities said. No casualties were immediately reported.

The renewed strikes come a day after 42 Palestinians in Gaza — including at least eight children and two doctors, according to the health ministry — were killed in the worst daily death toll in the enclave since the bombardments began.

In total, 197 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including at least 58 children, and more than 1,200 wounded since Israel launched its air campaign against Hamas on May 10, according to the authorities there.