2nd, 3rd batches of Gaza aid waiting for Egypt’s thumbs-up – ministry

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The second and third batches of Iraqi relief aid to Gaza are already in the Baghdad International Airport and waiting for the Egyptian side’s approval to send to the strip, a trade ministry official said on Sunday. “The first batch of Iraqi aid had arrived on Thursday at the Egyptian airport of al-Arish while the second and third batches, which contain sugar, tea, oils, soaps and milk from the trade ministry and medical stuff from the health ministry are at the Baghdad International Airport waiting for Egypt’s approval,” Waleed al-Hilw, the undersecretary of trade, told IraqiNews.com news agency. The Iraqi government’s official spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, had said on Saturday (Jan. 17) that the urgent Iraqi aid to Gaza arrived on Saturday for the Palestinian people in the strip. The Israeli army has been waging air, ground and sea attacks on Gaza for more than 20 days, leaving hundreds of people killed. AmR (P) 1