SINGAPORE – A fund-raiser to provide aid for communities in Gaza raised over $8.1 million just slightly under a month after it was launched in October 2023.

The sum of $8,114,422, collected from Oct 19 to Nov 17, is the highest raised by the Rahmatan Lil Alamin (Blessings to all) Foundation, or RLAF.

Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said on the sidelines of an event at the Assyafaah Mosque on March 9 that the sum has been dispensed to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA.

On the same day, RLAF said in a Facebook post: “We thank all individuals and groups who have come forward to generously contribute to provide aid in the form of health, relief and shelter for communities affected in Gaza.”

The foundation added that it has been monitoring and working closely with its partners on updates about delivery of aid to the beneficiaries in Gaza.

This included a session for various donors and donor organisations where the foundation’s partners provided updates and responded to questions via a video call.

Mr Masagos, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said that RLAF will hold another round of fund raising for Gaza during the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

“This new fund-raising campaign aims to rally Singaporeans to continue to donate as the situation in Gaza has become more dire,” said Mr Masagos, who added that the campaign was slated to take place from March 20 to 26.

The latest war in the decades-old conflict began when the Hamas militant group that controls Gaza attacked southern Israel on Oct 7.

Israel said about 1,200 people were killed and 240 were taken hostage in the incursion.

According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, Israel’s ensuing bombardment of the small Palestinian enclave of 2.3 million people has killed more than 30,800 people.

Nations and humanitarian groups have been racing to bring more aid to Palestinians, with the population on the brink of famine. The UN had earlier estimated that 300,000 Palestinians are living with little food or clean water.

Singapore has sent a medical team to treat civilian casualties who have been taken to Egypt, and supplies such as medicine, sanitation items and food for civilians.

Singapore Red Cross had earlier sent medical supplies, food and water worth at least $250,000 to civilians in Gaza.