Bahraini donations reach Palestinians in Gaza

Manama: Bahrain's aid consignments for Palestinians have been allowed through the border crossing and handed to authorities, said an official overseeing the delivery.

Initially, only medical supplies were allowed through the Rafah border crossing. Ambulances and relief aid were later allowed through.

"The supplies sent by benevolent Bahraini donors have been moved onto Palestinian trucks and transported to the people who need them," said Shaikh Nasser Bin Khalid Al Khalifa, from the Royal Charity Foundation.

Two telethons organized by the state-run television over two days raised around $5 million for Palestinians in Gaza.

King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa donated $3 million to help rebuild Al Fakhoora School in the Jabaliya refugee camp, which was shelled by Israelis.

Eight fully-equipped ambulances were donated by a charitable society, a political group and an airline company.

"We will continue to provide medical assistance since the situation in Gaza is really painful and people need all the help they can get," said Ahamad Jamal, the head of the Bahraini Medical Society.

"We are currently assessing the situation on the ground and we will see what we can do. We have 33 Bahraini doctors who want to go to Gaza and treat the Palestinians," he said.

A fund-raising campaign by medics has raised $100,000. Two leftist political societies said that they would organize a concert on Friday in solidarity with the Palestinians.

"We will have only patriotic songs and screen a documentary on the struggle of the Palestinians," the organisers said.