Love Aid Singapore announces S$1 million donation milestone alongside tragic kitchen bombing incident in Gaza
Love Aid Singapore, led by Gilbert Goh, celebrated crossing the S$1 million donation mark, a testament to Singaporean generosity. However, tragedy struck as the Jabalia kitchen was bombed, claiming nine lives. Goh urges continued support amid challenges.
Singaporean activist Gilbert Goh, founder of Love Aid Singapore, shared a positive update on the organization's Gaza aid initiative via his Instagram account on Sunday (3 Mar).
Expressing gratitude, Goh announced that Love Aid Singapore has achieved a significant milestone, crossing the S$1 million (US$743.605) mark in donations.
Highlighting the significance of this achievement, Goh described it as a proud and historical moment for the relatively small NGO, Love Aid Singapore.
He extended heartfelt thanks to everyone who demonstrated compassionate support for the Palestinians facing hardship in Gaza.
Goh also revealed Love Aid Singapore's plan to enter Gaza, emphasizing the potential opportunity as a ceasefire appears imminent.
“So do keep us in prayer if we do get to enter,” said Goh.
Love Aid Singapore reflects on Singaporean generosity and identifies with Palestinians' struggles
Funded and actively supported by ordinary Singaporeans, Love Aid Singapore is an entirely ground-up movement inspired by individuals seeking to make an extraordinary impact in a humanitarian crisis, according to Goh.
When asked why Singaporeans donate generously to the Palestinian cause, Goh emphasized that Singaporeans, by nature, are generous people who readily support genuine and worthy causes.
He noted their willingness to give sacrificially, sometimes waiting for the next paycheck to contribute to the cause.
Expressing his opinion, Goh conveyed that Singaporeans identify with the Palestinians' suffering under an apartheid regime that has ruled over them for nearly 75 years.
While acknowledging that Singaporeans may not experience the same level of hardship as Palestinians in Gaza, Goh believes they resonate with the struggles, sense of injustice, and limited freedom to express grievances.
Highlighting the similarities, Goh pointed out that Singapore lacks certain civil freedoms, creating an environment where expressions can be stifled.
Despite being a fully democratic country with more liberties than the Palestinians facing tyranny, Singapore shares some discourse on tight control, strict governance, and limited civil expression of grievances.
Goh often confides in his Palestinian friends, expressing empathy for their struggles and pledging support for their cause.
"The control over us is sometimes overwhelming and overbearing that we identify with the Palestinians a lot till our heart aches for them as we know, we feel and we cry with them," said Goh.
Sharing personal experiences, Goh revealed that his Palestinian friends found it hard to believe until he recounted his frequent encounters with the law due to his stand on the issues.
In a plea to fellow Singaporeans, he urged them to express their solidarity by commenting or liking, fostering a sense of unity on the shared page of understanding.
Love Aid Singapore's Jabalia kitchen bombed, resulting in nine fatalities
Alongside the positive update on reaching a significant S$1 million in donations, Gilbert Goh shared unfortunate news regarding Love Aid Singapore's food kitchen in Jabalia.
He revealed that the kitchen was bombed on Saturday (2 Mar), resulting in the tragic loss of nine Palestinians who were cooking, with an additional 9 to 10 individuals injured during the attack.
The bombing left the pots and utensils destroyed, rendering the Jabalia kitchen inactive.
“So, Jabalia won’t be cooking for the time being,” said Goh.
Goh informed the public that, despite this setback, Love Aid Singapore still has one or two functioning food kitchens actively cooking for North Gaza.
Although the Jabalia kitchen will be inactive for a while, Goh assured that the Rafah food kitchen continues its operations, despite a minor bombing incident nearby.
He urged Singaporeans to pray for the food program in Gaza, emphasizing the importance of continued support.
In conclusion, Goh expressed gratitude to Singaporeans for their unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, acknowledging the challenges faced and the resilience shown in the wake of these unfortunate events.
