The C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) departed from Ghaziabad’s Hindon airbase station for Egypt’s El-Arish airport with around 38-tonne-aid.
Agencies/JK News Today
Oct, 22: India on Sunday sent a military heavy lift aircraft with around 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the Palestinians suffering amid the war between Israel and Hamas militants, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said.
The C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) departed from Ghaziabad’s Hindon airbase station for Egypt’s El-Arish airport with around 38-tonne-aid including essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, water purification tablets among other necessary items.
Arindam Bagchi, MEA spokesperson, took to his X(formerly Twitter) to share the development. He said, “India 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, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, water purification tablets among other necessary items.”
Meanwhile, around 20 trucks moved into Gaza from Egypt’s Rafah border point on Saturday with medicines and limited amounts of food such as canned tuna and pasta.
However, UN officials have said at least 100 trucks a day are required in Gaza to cover urgent needs, and that any delivery of aid should be sustained and at scale. Before the outbreak of conflict, several hundred trucks were normally arriving in the enclave daily, Reuters had reported.
The opening of Gaza’s only non-Israeli border crossing has been complicated by the need for Egypt, Israel and Hamas to all agree for it to happen. Egypt and Israel have blamed each other and Hamas for Rafah staying shut until now.
Earlier on Thursday, prime minister Narendra Modi spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and expressed condolence for the grave hospital attack which killed over 500 people. During the conversation, PM Modi reiterated India’s long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue and raised grave concerns over the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region.
The conflict was triggered by unprecedented attacks by Hamas militants on October 7. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive against the Islamic militant group. Over 1,400 people were killed in Israel and at least 210 were taken captive. Around 4,385 Palestinians are said to have been killed in Gaza in the Israeli offensive that followed.
