On Friday (15 March), the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) deployed an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and a C-130 transport aircraft to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
According to the Ministry of Defence Singapore (MINDEF), the deployment is part of Singapore’s third tranche of assistance to Gaza.
Source: MINDEF
69 personnel were also deployed from airbases in Changi and Paya Lebar to support the operations.
The humanitarian aid supplies came from agencies including the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and Relief Singapore, a non-governmental organisation.
Efforts were led by the SAF’s Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre (RHCC) to coordinate and consolidate contributions of the supplies.
Source: MINDEF
They will be delivered to Gaza via Amman, Jordan.
“At the invitation of the Jordanian government, the C-130 will stay on and conduct humanitarian airdrop operations staged out of Jordan with support from the Jordanian Armed Forces,” MINDEF wrote.
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong thanked King Abdullah II of Jordan as well as the Jordanian government for facilitating Singapore’s humanitarian assistance for Gaza.
Source: MINDEF
He also emphasised Singapore’s stance on a “negotiated two-state solution” to bring peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
“Given the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the international community should work together to alleviate the suffering and save as many innocent lives as possible,” he wrote.
PM Lee also assured that Singapore will do what it can to help civilians in Gaza.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will hand over the humanitarian aid to the Royal Jordanian Government during his trip to Amman.
He will be there on a working visit from 16 to 17 March.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Dr Balakrishnan’s visit to Jordan “reaffirms Singapore’s strong ties with partners in the Middle East”.
This has allowed the country to be able to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza in a timely and effective manner.
Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad will accompany Dr Balakrishnan on the trip to Jordan.
Also read: Israel has ‘gone too far’ with military response to Hamas attack: Vivian Balakrishnan
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Featured image adapted from MINDEF.
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