Charity Airlifts Donkeys From Gaza

The Israeli non-profit has organized ten flights, transporting the animals from the war-torn region to protected sanctuaries in Europe.

Donkeys
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Key Takeaways:

  • An Israeli non-profit, Starting Over Sanctuary, is conducting rescue flights for donkeys displaced by the war in Gaza.
  • These flights transport 40-50 donkeys per trip to protected sanctuaries in Europe, primarily via Liège, Belgium, with ten such missions already completed.
  • While the organization states these rescues are humanitarian, Palestinian officials criticize them as exploitative, arguing the donkeys are crucial for daily life in Gaza.
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An Israeli non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue of neglected animals has been conducting rescue flights out of Gaza for donkeys displaced by the war between Israel and Hamas.

Typically an animal shelter for the rehabilitation of abused and suffering animals, Starting Over Sanctuary has transitioned a portion of its efforts to directing flights sending donkeys to protected sanctuaries in Europe.

The flights take off from Gaza with around 40 to 50 donkeys, where they arrive at Liège airport in Belgium. Liège is used as a transit point, where the donkeys are then airlifted to southern France and then transitioned to sanctuary facilities.

On July 29, the group conducted its tenth flight out of Gaza, transporting 50 donkeys out of the war-stricken area. In May, Starting Over ran flights rescuing 58 donkeys that were then dispersed to three separate sanctuaries, as well as a number of them being sent to private homes.

While the organization insists the flights and rescues are done on a humanitarian basis and only extended to animals in critical condition, Palestinian officials have described the flights as exploitative, stating that the donkeys are crucial for daily life and survival in Gaza.

A spokesperson for Liège airport insisted the airport plays a neutral role in the flights, stating that most of the donkeys arrive in poor health and remain at the airport for less than 24 hours.

Liège airport is one of Europe’s largest hubs for transporting livestock, with around 7,000 passing through the airport each year.

Starting Over is continuing to raise money for future rescue flights on their website.

Parris Clarke

Parris is a writer and content producer for Firecrown. When Parris isn't chasing stories, you can find him watching or playing basketball.

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Replies: 2

  1. Oh and there is not a shred of evidence of widespread atrocities. The only people hurting Palis is Hamas… Stealing the food. UNRWA is deeply intertwined w Hamas and kills its own. Go watch an Oct 7 film and the get back to us about Pallywood. Sick. The UN is virulently antisemitic as is Spain and Ireland and France. So many Islamists love to attack jews and Israel but when they get their FAFO dose… Go get on a flotilla to Gaza and you’ll get your sandwich and clicks like Greta. Pathetic.

    https://x.com/EinavAvizemer/status/1953782067692470425?t=NP0n8HQKnuK-H0ZEqY6Dlg&s=09

    WAKE UP

  2. Hey Rus,
    Noticed I got scrubbed again, eh? Only this time with no notification, plus a tirade of accusations and slurs from above not publically posted that makes the the commenters post that remains look like a choir boy wrote it. Whose running the show?

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