New Delhi: With the bloody Israel-Hamas conflict having crossed the two-week mark, leaving thousands of civilians dead and more without basic essentials, India sent humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza Sunday.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi Sunday said that 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material has left for Egypt’s El-Arish airport.
“The material includes essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, water purification tablets among other necessary items,” Bagchi wrote in a post on X.
🇮🇳 sends Humanitarian aid to the people of 🇵🇸!
An IAF C-17 flight carrying nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the people of Palestine departs for El-Arish airport in Egypt.
The material includes essential life-saving medicines,… pic.twitter.com/28XI6992Ph
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) October 22, 2023
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier this week spoken to the President of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas and reiterated India’s commitment to sending humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
Spoke to the President of the Palestinian Authority H.E. Mahmoud Abbas. Conveyed my condolences at the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. We will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Shared our deep concern at the terrorism,…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 19, 2023
“Shared our deep concern at the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region. Reiterated India’s long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue,” he said in a post on X.
The developments come amid India’s evolving relationships with both Israel and Palestine. India has gone from voting against the partition of the erstwhile Palestine in 1947 and against Israel’s inclusion in the United Nations in 1949, to becoming one of the largest buyers of Israel’s military hardware in the world.
Earlier on 10 October, PM Modi had stated that the people of India “stand firmly” with Israel. Speaking to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu about the unfolding situation, he condemned the Hamas terror attack of 7 October which had targeted civilians as well as a music festival near the Gaza border.
In light of the conflict, the MEA had also announced the setting up of a control room at India’s Embassy in Tel Aviv and Representative Office in Ramallah to “monitor the situation and provide information and assistance”.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: Israel plans more Gaza strikes, U.S. to add air defences to Mideast