Palestinian associations and organizations have launched large donation campaigns to support those affected by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Popular initiatives were also launched that showed generous giving and embodied the meanings of brotherhood and solidarity with the two affected countries.
With the occurrence of devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria, and in light of the news of the high number of victims and the afflicted, large-scale relief campaigns were launched throughout the Palestinian territories, with the aim of delivering aid as soon as possible to Turkey and Syria.
On social media, it appeared that the Palestinian people began mobilizing to support relief campaigns everywhere, such as the West Bank, the Palestinian interior, the Gaza Strip, and occupied Jerusalem.
The aforementioned campaigns intensified due to the wide spread of calls for help on social media, and because of some of the stances shown by Palestinians, such as influential publications at times and generous donations at others.
In the city of Umm al-Fahm in the lands of 1948, one of the first donors to a campaign launched by the Association “The Merciful” was a young man from the city who introduced himself as a benefactor, and donated 30 thousand dollars to support the victims of earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, then a woman joined him, whose name was not mentioned, but she donated a bracelet She was valuable and left behind an impressive message that was the reason for the intensification of relief campaigns.
And the lady wrote in her message: “This bracelet is dear to me. I had saved it for my children, but I swear by Him who raised the sky without pillars. My children are not more precious than the children of Syria.. It is a trade with God Almighty, may God grant it to them and all Muslims.”
The bracelet donated by the Palestinian woman to those affected by the earthquake in Syria, attached to the message (Source: Social Media) (Others)
In the lands of 48, the Southern Islamic Movement also launched a wide campaign to collect donations for both the Syrian people and those affected by earthquakes in Turkey. It even sought from the first day to send teams that would supervise by themselves to help those affected on the ground by various means.
In the West Bank, the Palestinian Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Hatem al-Bakri, announced that the proceeds of the campaign to “help them” for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria amounted to 4,250,000 shekels (about $1.2 million).
This came during his meeting with the Turkish Consul General in Jerusalem, Ahmed Reza Demir, at the ministry's headquarters in Ramallah, to brief him on the results of the campaign and the extent of the Palestinian people's solidarity with the Turkish people in this ordeal, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Awqaf.
Al-Bakri said, "The campaign (help them) has so far collected 4,250,000 shekels for the benefit of the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey, by collecting donations in mosques after Friday prayers."
He added that the campaign continues in all governorates of Palestine.
The Palestinian minister praised “the great Turkish role in helping and supporting the Palestinian people.”
Palestine also sent two support and assistance teams to Turkey and Syria to help those affected by the earthquake.
Blood Donation
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians participated in a stand of solidarity, during which blood was donated for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
This came during a solidarity campaign launched by the Al-Amal Institute Association for Orphans (non-governmental) at its headquarters in Gaza City for a period of one day under the name “One Body”.
A number of orphaned children who benefited from the institute participated in the vigil, in addition to the staff working in it, holding banners that read on some of them: “Our people in Turkey and Syria are our afflictions, your afflictions, and our blood is yours.”
In the blood donation hall, the organizers hung the Turkish and Syrian flags next to the Palestinian.
In a speech during the launch of the campaign, the association’s executive director, Iyad Al-Masry, said: “What happened in Turkey and Syria affected the entire Arab and Islamic nation.”
He explained that “the Palestinian people, through the campaign, show solidarity with their Turkish and Syrian counterparts, and call for mercy for the victims of the two countries.”
Al-Masri called on the Palestinians to express their “solidarity with the Turkish and Syrian peoples,” saying that today’s message is “a message of love and peace for all.”
At dawn on Monday, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, followed hours later by another with a magnitude of 7.6 and hundreds of violent aftershocks, which left huge losses of lives and property in both countries.