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[CHANDLER, Ariz.] — Moving boxes filled with coats, blankets, hygiene kits, and decorated with uplifting messages are en route to displaced families living in dire conditions in the Gaza Strip. The hope is that these items from Arizona donors will bring a small comfort to people facing persistent military bombardment and crowded shelters.

The Arizona Muslim Alliance (AMA) partnered with Arizona hub of Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) to create the Winter Survival Drive for Gaza online campaign. In only a week thousands of donations flooded volunteers’ garages and the HHRD warehouse in Chandler. Folks donated via an AMA online wishlist and through direct monetary donations.

Volunteers packed and loaded these recent donations along with supplies collected by HHRD and other nonprofits like AMA member organization Islamic Center of the East Valley (ICEV). HHRD has been receiving and storing Gaza donations since October, with the final push to fill the truck coming from the AMA’s Winter Survival Drive

“What really compelled me to be here was educational, looking into the matter because, before Oct. 7, I wasn’t really educated on the Israel-Palestine conflict. After the attacks took place, I learned about the apartheid, colonization, systems of oppression that the Palestinian people have to face and I really felt empathy and compassion. Stay educated, stay informed to help these people, which is why I’m here today,”

said ASU student Cameron Bautista. Bautista said he learned about the drive through social media and showed up at both volunteer dates.

Eventually, 561 boxes and 289 loose items, such as wheelchairs and canes, will be transported to Jordan and then airlifted to the Egyptian border to await permission to enter Gaza.
“With the current situation in Gaza where 1.9 million displaced Palestinians are living in shelter schools or in tents on the side of the road, and with the temperature dropping during this time of year, it’s important to provide them with warmth and comfort to ease their struggle,” said Samia Abdallah, HHRD’s southwest regional manager.
HHRD-Arizona is one of about 35 member organizations that make up the AMA. The AMA, the largest Muslim organization in Arizona, serves to unite and uplift Muslim voices in the state. AMA partnered with HHRD-Arizona due to its long and well-established relief work. HHRD is one of the few aid groups Israel has allowed into the heavily guarded area.

Sumaya Abdul-Quadir, AMA’s program director said, “We have individuals donating, wholesalers who want to donate or sell medical items at cost, diverse communities sharing the cause and joining to donate their time and energy. It really goes to show that more and more Americans are waking up to the oppression and injustices being inflicted on the Palestinian people.”

By the Numbers:

ABOUT AMA: The Arizona Muslim Alliance is an umbrella organization of mosques and Muslim institutions across the state. Established in 2016 as a community-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, AMA unifies and empowers Arizona Muslims through community building, resource sharing, and education. Visit https://www.azmuslims.org/ for more information and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/azmuslims and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/az_muslims/
BOUT HHRD: HHRD is a U.S.-based humanitarian relief and development organization that serves in over 85 countries. The Chandler warehouse is one of 19 regional offices in the country that manages donor care and in-kind donations. The Chandler HHRD office first opened its doors in 2010. Visit https://www1.hhrd.org/ to learn more. To get involved with the Chandler office join https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpinghandarizonasupporters/
BACKGROUND ON GAZA: Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 18,000 Palestinians and injured many more. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck more than 22,000 targets in Gaza since Oct. 7, when it launched a military operation in response to attacks from Hamas. The Gaza Strip is described by human rights groups as an open-air prison. The narrow strip of land, home to nearly 2 million Palestinians, is enclosed by concrete walls and barbed wire. Since 2007, Israel has imposed an extreme blockade on Gaza’s land, territorial waters, and airspace. According to the United Nations, Gaza is considered part of an occupied territory under international humanitarian law.

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