Philanthropist gutted over deadly Israeli strike on Gaza kitchen
When he was informed that a reported Israeli airstrike killed nine people working in a Gazan kitchen jointly run by the charitable organisation he founded, Singaporean Gilbert Goh’s heart sank.

The 62-year-old, who is behind Love Aid Singapore, has been raising funds for kitchens operating in the Jabalia and Rafah refugee camps since January, working in tandem with the International Relief Organisation (IRO), which runs them.

These kitchens prepare hot meals for displaced Palestinians, but after the airstrike on Jabalia camp on March 2, their activities have been put on hold.

Goh said in a phone call from Cairo on Monday that he was devastated when he received the news the previous day.

“This is the first time that I’ve been involved in a humanitarian mission where the people I work with have been killed,” he said.

“It’s been a huge shock. You just don’t expect the people you work with to die, even though I know this is the kind of thing that will happen in a war.”

Goh, who has been in Cairo since Jan 6 to help facilitate the transport of aid into Gaza, has been raising funds to help Palestinians affected by Israel’s military campaign in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on Oct 7.

The incursion by Hamas killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. More than 250 were also taken hostage.

Meanwhile, Israel’s retaliation has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, based on the Gazan Health Ministry’s tally.

As of March 2, Love Aid Singapore has raised US$1mil (RM4.7mil), which goes to the various Gaza-related projects the charity is involved in.

Besides the kitchens, the money has been used to provide financial assistance to some 400 orphans, as well as to fund the construction of solar panels at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in north Gaza, which currently has no electricity, among other projects.

In Jabalia camp, Love Aid Singapore is involved in the running of three kitchens.

Mamdooh Badawi, the chairman of the IRO and whose family is from Gaza, said the tragedy left him filled with guilt.

“I feel that I am the reason they died. The team cautioned against setting up a static kitchen because staying in one place would make it a target.

“But I insisted on it being at a fixed location, even though they didn’t want it there,” he said, adding that the plan is to rebuild the kitchen, but have it function as a mobile one. — The Straits Times/ANN
Singapore
When he was informed that a reported Israeli airstrike killed nine people working in a Gazan kitchen jointly run by the charitable organisation he founded, Singaporean Gilbert Goh’s heart sank.