A campaign to help Gaza residents has found support in Dagestan.

Dagestani athletes, doctors, and journalists called on residents of the republic to participate in a fundraiser for humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, the October 2025 ceasefire in the Gaza Strip did not change the general attitude of Dagestani residents toward Palestinian issues. Analysts predicted that collections for refugees and Gazan residents will not be curtailed amid the ceasefire.

On January 10, the Dagestani charity foundation "Nadezhda" announced a fundraising drive for residents of Palestine on its website and Telegram channel.

"Right now, thousands of families in Gaza are left without the most basic necessities – food and clean water. Every day is a struggle for survival. We cannot stop the war, but we can extend a helping hand to those who are in dire need right now," identical publications stated.

Proceeds from the fundraising drive are primarily intended to provide hot meals and clean water to those in need in Gaza, explained the publication "Novoe Delo" on its Telegram channel. The publication is listed as a "Friend" on the Nadezhda website. "Foundation."

Athletes, doctors, and journalists called for support for the foundation's campaign

Prominent residents of Dagestan recorded a video in support of the campaign organized by the charitable foundation, the publication noted. "Dagestani athletes and entrepreneurs, doctors and activists, bloggers and journalists participated in the recording. Each of them recorded a phrase, which was edited into a single appeal," the publication stated. The publication did not provide the names of those involved.

The publication's publication includes a text version of the video message from 17 men and women. Their names are also not included in the video posted on the foundation's Telegram channel. The 17 fragments of the collective video message were recorded in various settings (indoors, outdoors, inside a car) and at different times of day.

We can at least do something for them

"The war has died down, but the suffering of the Palestinians continues. People there are surviving in conditions no one should have to live in. The difference now, however, is that now we can at least do something for them. For the children who right now dream of a bowl of hot soup and clean water. Right now, Gaza needs us," the participants in the recording stated, among other things. They called for participation in the charity's humanitarian fundraising.

The Foundation has resolved the problem of delivering aid to Gaza

It is known that in November 2023, the head of the Nadezhda Foundation, Murad Kerimov, acknowledged that certain difficulties were encountered with the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

"Cargo is accumulating in Egypt. How much there is there and in what order it will be released is unknown. There is a lack of information on these issues, which makes it impossible to say with certainty when the cargo will arrive directly in Palestine, or whether it will remain in warehouses altogether," the publication "Youth of Dagestan" quoted Kerimov as saying.

23:59 03.08.2025

Chechnya and Dagestan demonstrated different approaches to providing aid Palestine

Against the backdrop of the suspension of private initiatives in Chechnya to raise aid for the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian National Cultural Autonomy could pool funds. In Dagestan, charitable organizations are organizing aid for the Gaza Strip.

According to Kerimov, the fund did not launch a collection in 2023 because "there was no international communication channel with the receiving party." "We didn't know how to deliver aid to the recipients. Therefore, we are directing those who want to help people in Gaza to those funds that have established a dispatch and delivery system," the publication quoted Kerimov as saying in November 2023.

The funds raised are being used for hot meals and water tankers.

The humanitarian aid delivery issue was later resolved – in November 2025, the fund reported that five aid drives had been held for Gaza residents and the sixth drive had been announced. "The funds raised are being used to provide hot meals and water tanks for local residents," stated a post on the foundation's Instagram page*.

In its publications, the foundation also reported that as of November 2025, 66,000 hot meals had been distributed to Gaza residents, and 240 tons of drinking water had been delivered.

As for water, it is "delivered to shelters and tent camps where clean water is difficult to find due to blockades and destruction," the foundation reported on its Instagram page*.

According to the Tooba app, which is used to raise funds, the latest fundraiser aims to raise 10 million rubles. As of January 11, 2026, 7,441,000 rubles have been raised. The previous fundraiser, which closed on December 3, 2025, raised 7,272,000 rubles. 5,704 people donated to this fundraiser. 1

As a reminder, mass riots involving Palestinian supporters occurred at Makhachkala Airport on October 29, 2023. The riots were triggered by the arrival of a flight carrying passengers from Tel Aviv. A crowd of people carrying Palestinian flags broke into the airport and onto the runway where the plane landed. More than 20 people were injured in the unrest, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "The Makhachkala Airport Pogrom Case".

By October 9, 2025, at least 136 people had been convicted in the "airport case." Some of the verdicts were issued contrary to witness testimony. Specifically, police officers were unable to identify the defendants, Magomedgadzhi Chirgilaev and Yasin Gadzhiev, in court.

The defendants themselves claimed they went to the airport out of curiosity to see what was going on. They told their lawyer that they were beaten to force them to incriminate themselves. However, the court sentenced them to long prison terms, and the appellate court upheld the sentence.