Living thousands of kilometres away from his war-torn homeland, a Gaza-born businessman who has made Kelantan his home for the past 15 years is stepping up to help fellow Palestinians in need.
Abdllah Ismail, 40, a father of two residing in Pantai Cahaya Bulan, has mobilised aid through social media, collecting more than 20,000 donated items within just a month. The contributions include clothing, blankets, headscarves and toys.
Donations poured in from across Malaysia, including Johor and other states, with some supporters even covering postage costs themselves.
Abdllah, who arrived in Malaysia in 2012 and later married a Kelantanese woman, said the overwhelming response reflected Malaysians’ deep compassion and solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
“The donations show how generous Malaysians are. Many are willing to help in any way they can,” he said, adding that his home has temporarily become a storage space for the items.
He noted that the supplies are especially vital during winter, when Palestinians in Gaza are in urgent need of warm clothing and blankets.
While the donations have been collected, Abdllah said the next challenge lies in delivering the aid to Gaza.
“I hope NGOs or organisations can come forward to help sponsor or facilitate the delivery so these items can reach those who need them most,” he said, urging continued support for the Palestinian people.
Malaysia has consistently expressed strong support for Palestine, with both the government and civil society calling for international assistance and solidarity amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
