JAKARTA — It has been one year since the Israeli military aggression rocked Palestine on 7 October 2023. In the midst of the raging conflict, Dompet Dhuafa immediately moved quickly and precisely to ease the burden of our brothers and sisters in Palestine. On that very tense day, the Indonesian Hospital and Dompet Dhuafa Ambulance that were carrying out humanitarian missions in the Gaza Strip were also targeted by Israeli missiles.
The news also drew condemnation from the world community. Calls to end the conflict and stop the bloodshed, as well as casualties, rolled in from the world community, of course also from Dompet Dhuafa. Various concrete efforts have been implemented by Dompet Dhuafa to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.
Various channels of aid distribution
Dompet Dhuafa has optimized various channels to ensure that aid reaches the right hands and is as effective as possible. Some of them are:
- Partnership with the Indonesian Government: Through close cooperation with various relevant ministries, Dompet Dhuafa ensures that aid distribution is authorized and well coordinated. This allows aid to reach Palestine more quickly and safely. On November 4, 2023, Dompet Dhuafa sent 1 ton of aid packages. The aid consisted of hundreds of winter packages consisting of children’s blankets, adult blankets, and sleeping mats.
- Strong Local Partner Network: Dompet Dhuafa has established partnerships with various local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Palestine. These partnerships, which have been working with Dompet Dhuafa since 2008, allow aid to be distributed in a targeted manner, given that local partners have a deep understanding of the conditions on the ground and the most pressing needs of the community.
- Synergy with Indonesia Humanitarian Alliance (IHA): Collaboration with IHA allows Dompet Dhuafa to synergize with various other humanitarian organizations in Indonesia. This not only strengthens the impact of aid, but also increases efficiency in aid management.
- Deploying Humanitarian Team: Dompet Dhuafa sent a humanitarian team to the Rafah Border in Egypt. This was done as an effort to guard the donations from the people of Indonesia that were entrusted through Dompet Dhuafa so that they could reach the Palestinian people.
Dompet Dhuafa’s Various Actions for Palestine
Throughout the past year, Dompet Dhuafa has realized various assistance, including:
- Logistic Aid Delivery: In November 2023, Dompet Dhuafa sent 1 ton of winter aid packages to Rafah Border, Egypt. This aid contains basic necessities to help Palestinians face winter. Previously, Dompet Dhuafa together with good partners had also sent ambulances, fuel, refugee tents, ready-to-eat food, iftar packages, sahur packages, food parcels, medical equipment and supplies, medicines, and hot meals.
- Mobility Support: Thanks to the generous donors, Dompet Dhuafa has established a waqf ambulance to support the mobility of Palestinians, especially in emergency situations. Although the ambulance has been targeted by Israeli missiles many times, it has not stopped the Indonesian people from continuing to donate through Dompet Dhuafa.
- Health Services: On Wednesday (26/06/2024), thanks to the kindness of the donors, Dompet Dhuafa managed to send humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the form of the establishment of a Medical Point or emergency hospital. This facility was established to serve the health of the Palestinian people, especially in North Gaza. The Medical Point is equipped with a container for obgyn services, with four doctors, eight nurses, an ambulance, and a team of paramedics. Until Friday (6/19/2024), at least 4,300 people have benefitted from the Medical Point, especially those in North Gaza. Medical services were provided to children, women, adults, and the elderly.
- Food Security Program: Through the DD Kitchen and Food Bank programs, Dompet Dhuafa focuses on building vegetable and fruit farms, water installations, wells, and rabbit farms to support food security in Palestine.
- Ramadan and THK programs: During Ramadan and Eid-ul-Adha, Dompet Dhuafa is even more aggressive in providing food aid. Indonesia and Palestine are inseparable brothers. Including qurbani, the link between the people of Indonesia and Palestine is very close. Through Dompet Dhuafa, the qurbani donation from the people of Indonesia will be delivered to their brothers and sisters in Palestine. Through its humanitarian partner, Hayat Yolu Dernegi, which operates in three regions, namely in the Gaza Strip, Al-Quds, and the West Bank, Dompet Dhuafa distributed 100 qurbani cows that had been collected from donors for Palestine. This means that there are around 700 qurbani performers and will be distributed to 7,000 beneficiaries in the 2024 Tebar Hewan Kurban (THK) program in Palestine.
A Relentless Echo of Solidarity from Indonesia
Support for Palestine is also pouring in from the people of Indonesia through Dompet Dhuafa. Various solidarity actions have been held, such as:
- Street Action: Dompet Dhuafa together with civil society coalitions often organize actions in public places such as Bundaran HI, Monas yard, and in front of the UN building to show solidarity with the Palestinian people. This action aims to raise public awareness about the situation in Palestine and urge the Indonesian government to take concrete action.Not only in Jakarta, solidarity actions in defense of Palestine are often held by Dompet Dhuafa branches throughout the region. In fact, overseas branches have also held them.
- Humanitarian Collaboration: Dompet Dhuafa collaborates with partners and humanitarian activists to raise funds and support for Palestine. Various parties were moved to collect and distribute humanitarian aid for Palestine. For 366 days since the genocide began, donations have continued to increase. The donors come from various backgrounds, from humanitarian activists, communities, mosque congregations, companies, students, to school children, and many others. This is because they realize that this crime committed by Israel is not merely a religious conflict, but a genocide against humanity.
- Creative Campaign: Utilizing digital platforms and creative events to raise public awareness of the Palestinian issue, Dompet Dhuafa actively voices the struggle for Palestinian independence. In today’s digital era, voices can be heard around the world. Dompet Dhuafa proved this with a creative online campaign that successfully voiced the struggle for Palestinian independence. In this creative platform, Dompet Dhuafa wants to make the virtual community aware that they can contribute in their own way according to their respective fields.
- Educating the Young Generation: Instilling humanitarian values and concern for Palestine through educational programs in schools as well as thematic studies and book discussions. This effort has succeeded in raising awareness among young people and children. As evidence, school children were moved to set aside their pocket money to be distributed to Palestinian children. Although they did not meet them directly, they empathized enough to imagine what if the atrocities happened in their environment.
In addition to schools, this effort is also carried out on campuses by targeting students. In addition, Palestinian-themed studies are also often held in various strategic places, some openly, some exclusively.
- Music and Art Stage for Palestine: Dompet Dhuafa collaborated with renowned musicians in Indonesia to shout in support of Palestinian independence through the Sound Of Humanity (SOH) event. By utilizing art and music in various regions, Dompet Dhuafa managed to raise funds and support for Palestine. One of the charity concerts was held at Cibis Park, Cilandak, South Jakarta, on Thursday (11/16/2023). In addition to the music concert, various other activities also enlivened the SOH which was held from the afternoon until the turn of the day. Among them were poetry reading, Mural for Humanity, Drawing Palestine Totebag, Palestine Merchandise, Family Run, Humanity Poundfit, Badminton, donation services and free medical check-up services. Meanwhile, the music concert was attended by a number of Dompet Dhuafa’s good collaborators, namely J-Rock, Mocca Band, Pusakata, Vickry Rasta, and Febry Rubi.Recently, Dompet Dhuafa has also successfully held a musical theater performance of “Tanah yang Terpenjara” at the Jakarta Arts Building, Thursday (03/10/2024). The event initiated by Dompet Dhuafa and Titimangsa succeeded in uniting hundreds of audiences in one goal: building strong solidarity in raising voices for Palestine. By combining elements of drama, music, and poetry, this performance succeeded in bringing 400 audiences to feel the struggle of the Palestinian people.
Dompet Dhuafa strongly condemns the aggression committed by the Israeli Zionists and continues to be committed to continue to voice and fight with the Palestinian people in achieving their independence, both through prayer and real action. Donations for Palestine are always open at any time for anyone. Let’s lend a hand, unite steps, with Dompet Dhuafa for Palestine through digital.dompetdhuafa.org/donate/jagapalestina. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text: Riza Muthohar
Photo: Dompet Dhuafa Asset
Editor: Dedi Fadlil