India on Sunday sent humanitarian aid to strife-torn Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid the war between Hamas and Israel. Nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material have been sent to Palestine, which will reach the country via Egypt.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi wrote, “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 items will be sent to Palestine via the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
Bagchi informed that the humanitarian aid includes “essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, water purification tablets, among other necessary items”.
India’s aid to Palestine comes three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. During their conversation on Thursday, PM Modi said that India would continue sending humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians. He also conveyed his condolences on the loss of civilian lives in the Gaza Strip due to the bombing at a hospital.
The bloody war between Israel and Hamas, which commenced on October 7 following a surprise and unprecedented attack by the Palestinian terrorist group, has so far claimed more than 5,000 lives on both sides and triggered a massive humanitarian crisis in the Middle-East. The deadly attack by Hamas, which saw the group infiltrating via land into the south Israeli towns and gunning down civilians on streets and their homes, has drawn severe condemnation from across the globe and world leaders. Israel’s counteroffensive named ‘Operation Iron Swords’, aimed at eliminating Hamas operative bases in Gaza, has unleashed devastation in the region, with civilians fleeing their homes, essential services unavailable, and hospitals barely functioning.
A recent bombing at a Gaza hospital that reportedly claimed hundreds of lives has invited strong condemnation from world leaders. While Hamas claimed Israeli rocket strikes caused the tragedy, Israel has refuted the claim.
Meanwhile, Israel is preparing for a ground offensive in Gaza with a coordinated approach in order to take on Hamas, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier saying that his country will “crush and destroy” Hamas.
Source: India Today
