Samaritan’s Purse Delivers Aid to Gaza
Samaritan’s Purse, led by Reverend Franklin Graham, dispatched its inaugural 767 cargo flight on Friday, transporting 290,000 vitamin-packed food packs, along with thousands of blankets and solar lights aimed at women and children in the Gaza Strip. This mission marks the latest humanitarian effort from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in a region engulfed in conflict.
In an exclusive statement, Graham highlighted the urgency of the relief initiative amidst ongoing instability.
“Gaza is a very unstable area. There are over two million people who desperately need assistance,” he stated. “What Hamas has done is appalling—it’s a genocide. They not only took 251 innocent civilians from Israel hostage on October 7 but have, for 18 years, held the entire Gaza population captive. Hamas needs to be removed.”
Graham emphasized that the mission was motivated by a commitment to extend compassion in trying times.
“At present, we’ve gathered more than 290,000 bags filled with protein-rich, vitamin-fortified food, along with thousands of solar lights and blankets for families that have lost everything,” he pointed out. “We ask for your prayers that this shipment will make a difference for the people in Gaza.”
The aircraft took off from the relief organization’s airlift response center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Just before departure, Graham participated in a prayer session alongside staff and flight crew, all gathered near the large white jet, which symbolizes a new chapter for the group’s air operations.
Edward Graham, Franklin Graham’s youngest son and COO of Samaritan’s Purse, described Gaza as “one of the hardest places to work,” expressing gratitude to staff who courageously continue their mission despite the risks involved.
The airlift occurs nearly two years following the commencement of hostilities that have left Gaza’s families struggling with access to food, power, and medical care.
Samaritan’s Purse began its efforts shortly after the conflict escalated, sending in healthcare professionals and emergency supplies. To date, the organization claims to have delivered over 223 tons of food, distributed more than a million food items, and provided medical assistance to over 1,700 individuals.
This latest delivery places a heightened focus on supporting children and women, who face heightened threats from the ongoing violence. The shipment not only included food but also 12,000 solar-powered lanterns and 12,000 blankets for displaced families.
The organization’s long-standing strategy involves using aircraft to reach areas in need around the world. Recent missions have included establishing a mobile field hospital in Ukraine and aiding earthquake survivors in Haiti. The introduction of the wide-body 767 is expected to enhance the organization’s capacity to deliver aid more efficiently.
Franklin Graham expressed the importance of such initiatives in light of the profound suffering evident in Gaza and Israel. “It’s essential to show God’s love to those in distress,” he remarked. “We aim to remind them they’re not overlooked.”
The organization maintains an active presence in Israel as well, where communities are still recovering from the October 7 Hamas attack and the resultant warfare. Samaritan’s Purse has pledged to provide 42 ambulances, of which 28 are armored, to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency service, along with backing for 11 major construction projects, including a community center with an air-raid shelter.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee praised the organization’s efforts on social media, calling Samaritan’s Purse “the most effective disaster response organization on the planet.”
The 767 is set to distribute food and supplies to logistics partners in Gaza shortly, with additional relief flights anticipated as conditions allow.
“This effort isn’t just a one-off,” Franklin Graham affirmed. “We will continue our support as long as there is suffering.”
