Second round of aid delivered to Gaza by Latin Patriarchate and Order of Malta

CNA Newsroom, Jul 26, 2024 / 13:22 pm (CNA).

As part of its Memorandum of Understanding agreement (MoU) and partnership with the Sovereign Order of Malta, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has successfully sent a second aid delivery to the people of northern Gaza.

In a July 24 press release, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem —  a diocese that includes Jordan, Cyprus, Palestine, and Israel — announced that 40 tons of non-perishable food kits were delivered by Malteser International to a newly-established distribution center near the Patriarchate’s compound in the region.

According to the press release, each food kit can feed a family of five for one month and will be distributed to both the Christian community and those in need within the area. These kits are expected to reach 1,000 families, and consist of hygiene items, as well food such as pasta, salt, rice, sugar, and cooking oil.

Malteser International serves as the worldwide relief agency of the Order of Malta, a lay religious order of the Catholic Church dating back to 1113 that participates in medical, social, and humanitarian works for people in need across 120 countries.

Having signed the MoU agreement this past May, both the Order of Malta and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem aim to supply vital aid to the region amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

“The situation of the population in Gaza can hardly be put into words. There is a lack of everything,” stated Thomas Weiss, head of the Middle East Department at Malteser International. “As we hear from our contact persons in the Parish in Gaza City, not a single intact building is left in the surroundings of their compound, and the entire Gaza Strip is a picture of devastation and massive destruction.”

In a recent Order of Malta news release, Weiss continued to describe the region in which “access to essential supplies is restricted.”

“We are more than grateful that, thanks to the cooperation with the Latin Patriarchate, the Order of Malta was able to send another humanitarian aid delivery to support the people on the ground,” he continued.

With the successful completion of this second relief delivery, the press release notes that further aid deliveries are already being planned. These future plans consist of distributing ready-to-eat meals, specialized food for malnourished children and adults, and other essential supplies, as well as identifying ways to provide and enhance medical care on the ground.