Pak NGOs to provide help to Palestine

Non-governmental organisations in Pakistan are ready to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians, but they cite blockade and logistical issues as key challenges, Dawn reported. This comes as aid organisations have said time is “running out to save millions of people” in the Gaza Strip. Yet, no aid is being allowed inside the area. Edhi Foundation’s Faisal Edhi told Dawn: “All routes to Gaza are closed. It’s all sealed.” He added that his heart bleeds for the Palestinians. While all crossings into Gaza from Israel are closed, the only entry point is the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. However, that, too, has been left inoperable due to Israeli air strikes. As per Edhi, aid agencies in Pakistan could enter from the Egyptian side, but the North African country was “refusing visas to Pakistanis. He recalled that three years ago, when Israel was bombing Gaza, his organisations tried to reach Gaza via Rafah, “but then Egypt turned down our visa applications”. @@@@