Maldives donates food to Gaza using Zakat al-Fitr funds

$32,400 worth of food supplies sent to families in Gaza amid Israeli blockade and deepening humanitarian crisis.

MALE, Maldives (MNTV) — The Maldivian government has donated food supplies worth 500,000 Maldivian Rufiyaa ($32,400) to families in Gaza who have been enduring an 18-month-long Israeli assault, marked by relentless bombings, mass displacement, and severe food shortages.

The aid was delivered through this year’s Zakat al-Fitr funds — an obligatory religious donation made by Muslims during the month of Ramadan — and coordinated by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in partnership with the ISRA Association, a humanitarian organization working in Palestine.

A video shared by the ministry shows packages labeled with messages of solidarity from the Maldives being distributed to Palestinians trapped under siege. Gaza has been under a complete blockade by Israel since October 2023, with humanitarian agencies warning of widespread famine and a collapsing healthcare system. The United Nations has repeatedly stated that Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said the food packages were sent on behalf of the Maldivian people. “The aid has reached families suffering from hunger and extreme heat,” he said. “This was made possible by the generous Zakat al-Fitr contributions entrusted to the Zakat House.”

According to the ministry, over 13.2 million Maldivian Rufiyaa ($857,224) was collected in Zakat al-Fitr this year. While the majority — 12.4 million Maldivian Rufiyaa ($805,194) — was distributed among 2,765 registered poor within the country, the government allocated a portion to support Palestinians, continuing its tradition of solidarity with Gaza.