Coptic Orthodox Church and Al-Azhar Send 27 Tons of Aid to Lebanon via Air Bridge

The Coptic Orthodox Church and Al-Azhar, Egypt’s two most prominent religious institutions, have delivered a new shipment of aid to Lebanon. The consignment, weighing 27 tons, includes foodstuffs, wheat flour, medicine, and other essential supplies. This aid was contributed by 11 civil society institutions in Egypt and transported via two planes to Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport.

Father Gabi Hashem, Director of the Theological Affairs and Ecumenical Affairs Department at the Middle East Council of Churches, received the shipment alongside Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Yasser Alawi and other representatives. Hashem emphasized the strong bond between the Egyptian and Lebanese peoples, highlighting the significance of the aid as a gesture of solidarity.

Ambassador Alawi reiterated Egypt’s commitment to supporting Lebanon during its recovery from the devastating Beirut Port explosion. He noted that Egypt would not abandon the country as it navigates the aftermath of the disaster. This aid follows a broader effort by Egypt to establish an air bridge for humanitarian support, which has seen 12 aid planes dispatched since the August 4th blast.

The air bridge is structured into four phases of assistance. The first phase focused on medical aid, the second on medical and food supplies, and the third involved sending Egyptian doctors and surgical teams to Beirut to bolster the local medical response. Immediately after the explosion, Egypt also set up a field hospital in Beirut to alleviate the strain on overwhelmed local hospitals.

Egyptian aid will continue through the air bridge until August 26th. Following this, the fourth phase will shift focus to reconstruction, with the delivery of building materials and tools to aid in rebuilding the Lebanese capital, which suffered extensive damage from the explosion.

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