Islamabad: A special chartered aircraft from Pakistan carrying 100 tons of humanitarian and relief supplies for the people of Gaza landed at the El Arish International Airport in Egypt on Tuesday, Pakistani state media reported. 

The aircraft was dispatched by Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with local charity organization Al-Khidmat Foundation, from the eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday. 

“The relief consignment includes non-food items consisting much-needed tents, tarpaulin sheets and jerry cans,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

The aid supplies were handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society to be dispatched onwards to the people of Gaza. 

“The Government and people of Pakistan are profoundly thankful to the Egyptian government under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Egyptian Red Crescent Society for facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance from the Government and people of Pakistan for the Palestinian brethren,” Radio Pakistan added. 

“More humanitarian and relief consignments are on their way and will be delivered to the brotherly people of Gaza during coming weeks,” the state media said. 

Pakistan has sent relief items for Palestinians since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023. At least 69,000 Palestinians were killed in Gaza during the almost two years of war that began in October 2023. 

Israeli forces bombed schools, hospitals and educational institutions during the war, killing a large number of women and children. 

Israel also blocked humanitarian and relief supplies from reaching Gaza, causing hunger and diseases to spread across the densely populated territory before a fragile ceasefire was brokered by the US this year.