"We are looking to send more assistance": MEA on providing humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza
Nov 16, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 16 : As Israel continues to retaliate by attacking the Hamas terror group in Gaza, India is planning to send more humanitarian assistance to the affected civilians in the region.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday that India has always focused on avoiding civilian casualties.
"This is not about one specific facility," Bagchi added, "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."
Earlier, India had sent 38 tonnes of humanitarian relief material for civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Furthermore, the MEA spokesperson stressed, "We are looking to send more assistance."
The humanitarian aid sent by India to the people of Palestine arrived in Egypt on October 22, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Notably, the medical supplies sent to the people of Palestine included essential life-saving medicines and protective and surgical items aimed at handling emergency medical conditions. While arranging the medical supply, wound care was also taken into consideration.
Fluids and painkillers have been included in humanitarian aid for immediate relief. The disaster relief material, weighing approximately 32 tonnes includes tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, basic sanitary utilities, water purification tablets, etc.
Taking to X, Arindam Bagchi stated, "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."
Moreover, Bagchi condemned the horrific terrorist attacks on October 7 and said, "We have zero tolerance for terrorism, and there is an immediate and unconditional release of hostages."
As Israel continues its ground operation in Gaza, the Israel Defence Forces confirmed on Wednesday that they are carrying out a precise and targeted operation in a specific region in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
The operation is being carried out based on intelligence information and an operational necessity.
In recent weeks, the IDF has publicly warned time and again that Hamas' continued military use of the Shifa hospital jeopardises its protected status under international law, and enabled ample time to stop this unlawful abuse of the hospital.
