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Under Royal orders, aid flights to start today By Issa al Kharousi MUSCAT — His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has issued directives to send relief aid to Palestinian people in Gaza Strip. A statement issued by Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO) said that, within the directives of His Majesty the Sultan, the OCO will operate flights of emergency aid to the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza to help alleviate their suffering under the current Israeli aggression. The relief aid includes medicines, foodstuff and other requirements. Ali bin Ibrahim Shanon, CEO of Oman Charitable Organisation, said that the first consignment is expected to leave today and it will contain medicines, foodstuff and power generators for hospitals. The assistance will be airlifted in two private charted planes, one to leave in the morning and the other in the evening from Muscat International Airport to Al Areesh Airport in Egypt. The relief aid will then be transported by land to Gaza. A delegation comprising officials of OCO and the Omani embassy in Cairo will travel in the relief aid flights. Shanon commended the citizens' solidarity with the Palestinians which, he said, reflected in the flow of donations since the start of the air strikes. More donations are needed to provide maximum assistance to brethrens in Gaza, he added.