Thousands of volunteers in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have completed the packing of over 10 million meals for the people of Gaza to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, the Government of Dubai Media Office announced on Sunday.
The supplies will be transferred overland in Egypt and are expected to arrive in Gaza in early January next year, helping meet the needs of displaced Palestinians in the embattled enclave.
"Each box of this can be enough for a family for a certain period of time. What's included here rice, sugar, milk, and all the essentials that are required to keep a family alive and fed for a certain period," said Salam Adel, a volunteer from Jordan.
This operation was initiated and spearheaded by UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as part of the Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, an initiative launched by the UAE to support the Palestinian people and meet their urgent needs.
Initially, the project had announced a need for only 2,000 volunteers to help pack the meals, but the call was met with an overwhelming response of over 20,000 people in a single week, according to the media office.
"Today, we've started at 09:00, and we are going to continue until we have achieved the packing of 10 million. Even until 21:00, or 22:00, we are going to continue until we complete the 10 million meals. There will be different batches of volunteers, so every two hours, there is a new batch. So, by the end of the day, we aim to achieve the 10 million," said Mohammed Al Sharif, spokesperson for Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.
"All of us can put some helping hands to the people of Gaza, and we hope for the best that we can make their life better. What's going on, like all of us, we hope that it will help them and give food security for them," said Syed Abdullah, a volunteer from Pakistan.
UAE ready to ship 10 million meals of food aid to Gaza
UAE ready to ship 10 million meals of food aid to Gaza
China and Germany, as major countries, should shoulder their responsibilities, uphold mutual respect, transcend differences in social systems, historical backgrounds and cultures, and build a more mature model of positive interaction and a more stable bilateral policy framework, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday in Beijing.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul that it is hoped that Germany will view China's development as an opportunity for deeper cooperation and a driving force for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and work together to promote the steady and healthy development of the China-Germany all-round strategic partnership.
Noting that this is the first visit to China by a German foreign minister since the formation of Germany's new government -- though the visit has encountered twists and turns -- Wang quoted a Chinese saying: "Good things come to those who wait." He emphasized that "the timing is not the key; what truly matters is the purpose. The visit should be for cooperation, not confrontation; for enhancing mutual understanding and trust, not widening differences."
Wang further urged Germany to encourage the EU to return to a rational and pragmatic China policy, adhere to the correct direction of mutually beneficial cooperation, resolve differences through dialogue, and avoid politicizing economic issues, instrumentalizing trade issues, or securitizing normal cooperation.
Wang emphasized that the one-China principle serves as an important political foundation for China-Germany relations, and there is no room for ambiguity. He further noted that unlike Germany, Japan has yet to conduct a thorough reflection on its history of aggression in the eight decades since the end of WWII.
Wadephul said that in the face of a turbulent global landscape, Germany and China need to shoulder special responsibilities, strengthen communication and coordination, and become reliable and predictable partners for each other.
He said that Germany remains firmly committed to the one-China policy, and this position is unwavering.
German enterprises in China have full confidence in the Chinese market and are willing to further deepen their presence in the country, Wadephul said, adding that Germany supports the EU and China in seeking mutual benefit and win-win outcomes through dialogue and stands ready to play a constructive role in this regard.
The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Wadephul elaborated on Germany's position and expressed hope that China would leverage its influence to help bring about an early end to the crisis.
Wang reaffirmed China's consistent stance, emphasizing that all parties should cherish the current momentum for a political settlement, work towards the same goal, and ultimately reach a fair, durable and binding peace agreement through dialogue and negotiations.
China supports all efforts conducive to peace and will continue to play a constructive role in this regard, Wang added.
Chinese FM calls on China, Germany to shoulder responsibilities as major countries for more stable bilateral policy framework
