The Venezuelan government has begun sending much-needed aid to Gaza, where Palestinians have been under Israeli military attack since Dec. 27.
A C-130 cargo plane left Venezuela Jan. 11 carrying the first shipment of aid, including 80 tons of medicine, water and food. Thirty Venezuelan doctors were also on board along with the Simon Bolivar Humanitarian Workforce. The plane will drop off the supplies in Cairo, from where they will be transported to Gaza.
Like numerous countries, Venezuela has seen mass protests against the war on Gaza. Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chávez, has publicly pressured the Egyptian government and the United Nations to guarantee that the supplies reach Gaza. Egypt shares a border with Gaza, but its U.S.-puppet regime has done little to help Palestinians. Venezuela is planning to send more shipments in the coming weeks.
During the first weeks of the attacks, Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador. On Jan. 14, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced that his country, too, was breaking off ties with Israel.
