An Indian Air Force (IAF) C17 aircraft, carrying 32 tonnes of aid, on Sunday departed for El-Arish Airport in Egypt to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine, who are caught up in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
In a post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to extend humanitarian assistance to Gazans, posting, “We continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine. Second @IAF_MCC C17 aircraft carrying 32 tonnes of aid departs for the El-Arish Airport in Egypt.”
Earlier, India sent 38 tonnes of humanitarian relief for civilians caught up in the ongoing ground offensive by the Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.
The aid package comprised fluids and painkillers. The disaster relief material, weighing approximately 32 tonnes, also included tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, basic sanitary utilities, and water purification tablets, among other items.
Taking to X, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi posted after India shipped emergency aid for Gazans earlier, “India sends humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine! 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, and water purification tablets, among other necessary items.”
The spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said recently that India was planning to send more humanitarian assistance to the affected civilians in the region.
He said India has always stressed the need to avoid civilian casualties in the ongoing military operations in Gaza.
“This is not about one specific facility,” Bagchi said, adding, “India has always underlined the need for civilian casualties to be avoided, for humanitarian law to be observed, and to encourage any effort to provide humanitarian relief to those caught in the conflict.”