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Maldives to hold telethon to help Palestinians

International Aid Campaign (IAC) has decided to hold a telethon with the Maldivian media to help Palestinians affected by the recent escalation of violence in Gaza.

At a press conference, Director of International Relations Mohamed Ali said IAC has always attached special importance to Palestine. Therefore, the organisation will be conducting the telethon with the media to provide assistance to the Palestinians. The telethon will be held from October 13-17.

Also at the press conference, Vice Chairman Adam Naaif said that fund boxes will be placed outside all mosques in Male' City, urging citizens to conduct fund raising activities in other parts of the country. He also said that a women's rally will be held at Artificial Beach in Male' City while a fundraising event will be held at Central Park in Hulhumale' on October 13. In addition, a silent protest will be held at Artificial Beach on October 14. He urged as many people as possible join the fundraising activities to help Palestinians.

Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive against the Palestinians on October 7, the IAC has provided food to doctors and nurses in three hospitals. IAC is currently distributing 1,000 food packages to Palestinians in Gaza.

The recent escalation of violence has resulted in a death toll surpassing 1,200, with the majority being civilians, and over 338,000 people displaced in Gaza. The Palestinian enclave of 2.3 million people has witnessed relentless aerial and artillery strikes, resulting in the obliteration of entire city blocks.

The bombardments have left Gaza grappling with extensive devastation, with over 2,540 housing units either levelled or rendered uninhabitable. Concerns are heightening over the escalating humanitarian crisis in the long-blockaded Palestinian enclave, where Israel has now imposed a total siege, severing access to water, food, and energy supplies. The enclave's sole power plant ceased operations due to a lack of fuel while medical resources, including oxygen, are in critically short supply at Gaza's overwhelmed Al-Shifa hospital.