Eleven thousand dollars in aid is on its way to Gaza thanks to fundraising dinner in Hoppers Crossing last month.
More than 300 residents from Wyndham and surrounding areas attended the ‘Dine-in for Palestine’ event at Central Park Community Hall on November 18.
Organised by Auslanka, a local Wyndham community group which represents Sri Lankan Muslims in Australia, the dinner raised funds for food, water, medicine and fuel to be sent to Gaza by charity organisation, Islamic Relief.
A humanitarian crisis has unfolded in Gaza since the October 7 terrorist attacks where Hamas militants killed 1200 Israeli civilians.
Israeli air strikes and ground operations launched in retaliation have killed an estimated 15,000 people in the Hamas controlled territory since.
Along with fundraising, the event also included a recap of the historical context preceding the current conflict, such as the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the 1948 Nakba (‘catastrophe’).
“The UN has reported that in 2023 alone, 1.7 million Palestinians have been displaced, equating to approximately three quarters of Gazan population. More than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7 and 60 per cent of buildings in Gaza, including residential buildings, schools and hospitals, have been targeted,” said an Auslanka spokesperson.
Auslanka is calling for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after a temporary truce came to an end on the weekend.
Cade Lucas.
