TEHRAN –The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has dispatched the second ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The ship has just left the country and passed through the Strait of Hormuz, IRCS head Pirhossein Kolivand said on Sunday.

Previously, an air cargo and a ship carrying aid were sent to Gaza. This is the third consignment of humanitarian aid provided by the Iranian people.

It includes medicine, medical equipment, food, and biological items such as tents and blankets.

So far, over 10 tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered to Gaza.

Establishing a joint fund to help Gaza

On January 21, Kolivand suggested setting up a joint fund with other countries to provide aid to people in Gaza. He made the remarks in an address to the International Humanitarian Conference to Support Palestine which was held in Tehran.

Referring to the crimes committed by the Zionists in the Gaza Strip in the last one hundred days, he stated that the activities of the international organizations have become ineffective due to the barriers made by the Zionist regime. “If we fail to do something to help, history will judge us,” IRNA reported.

Exploring possible avenues to provide humanitarian aid, using humanitarian diplomacy to stop the war permanently, creating a joint financial fund, and declaring crimes against the Zionist regime were among the axes of the conference.

ICRC appreciates IRCS

In November 2023, Vincent Cassard, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Tehran, met with Kolivand, expressing gratitude to the Iranian Red Crescent Society for providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

IRCS cooperation in providing aid to Gaza is valuable and we are thankful to Iran for its assistance in this regard, he said, the IRCS website reported.

The officials also discussed partnership and joint efforts in assisting the people of Gaza.

“We are interested in cooperating with the Iranian Red Crescent Society to implement various joint missions in different fields including education, refugees, and immigration. The Iranian Red Crescent Society holds enormous potential that paves the way for expanding cooperation," Cassard said.

Moreover, Cassard expressed gratitude to the IRCS for their collaboration in areas such as mine clearance in the regions affected by the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

Kolivand, for his part, praised the president of ICRC for not withdrawing Red Cross personnel from Gaza.

 “This decision was a humanitarian one demonstrating the preservation of the Red Cross's identity. Despite being targeted by rocket fire, the Red Cross persevered and continued assisting the people of Gaza,” he added.

No government is allowed to target rescue workers or expel Red Cross troops. If the Red Crescent Society and the Red Cross are not defended today, more aid workers will be killed in the future. These crimes will be recorded in history and we will all be judged, Kolivand explained.

Currently, providing aid to Gaza is our priority. Unfortunately, some have dual opinions or are affected by political issues, whereas the true priority should be assisting the vulnerable children and women in Gaza,” Kolivand expressed.

He went on to say that substantial humanitarian aid consisting of medicines, food, and tents, weighing 10,000 tons, has been provided by the Iranians and is ready to be dispatched to Gaza.  

MT/MG