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Indonesia sends first batch of humanitarian aid to Gaza
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said the aid was geared toward the demands and needs of people in Gaza, based on reports mentioning that people are suffering from dehydration and waterborne diseases.
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Indonesian Air Force personnel check packages of humanitarian aid on Nov. 4, 2023, which will be sent to Palestine, at the Halim Perdanakusuma airbase in Jakarta. The Indonesian government dispatched 51.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid for people in the war-torn Gaza Strip. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
T
he government dispatched the first batch of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip on Saturday, reaffirming Indonesia’s long-standing support for the Middle Eastern country.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was present at the Halim Perdanakusuma airbase in East Jakarta to oversee the dispatch. The first batch of the aid consisted of 51.5 tonnes of food supplies, medical equipment, blankets, tents and other logistics.
“The aid will arrive to El Arish International Airport in Egypt before it is later distributed to Gaza,” Jokowi told the press. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.
“This is the first phase of humanitarian assistance […] We’re currently preparing the next batches of the aid,” the President continued.
Three transport aircraft will carry the supplies, two of which took off from Halim Perdanakusuma carrying 21 tonnes of the aid while the other departed from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, with 30 tonnes of the humanitarian relief.
Jokowi stated that the aid had been adjusted to the demands and needs of the people in Gaza, including 7 tonnes of medicine, food and hygiene kits from the Health Ministry. Reports from Gaza mentioned that people were suffering from dehydration and waterborne diseases because of damaged clean water and sanitation facilities.
The second batch of the humanitarian assistance will consist of hospital equipment, Budi said.
