JAKARTA, JAKTIMES.COM – The Indonesian government sent the first phase of humanitarian aid to Palestine on Saturday, November 4, 2023, directly launched by President Joko Widodo at the Indonesian Air Force Base in Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta.
The government will soon coordinate and prepare the next phase of aid shipments due to the high enthusiasm of the Indonesian people to help the Palestinian population.
“We can see that there is a lot of enthusiasm from the public, civil society organizations, and the business world who want to provide their assistance, so we will coordinate this because getting aid into the area is not easy. If it’s from the government, it’s easier, so we are open, and we hope the second phase will be as soon as possible,” President Jokowi said after the release event.
President Jokowi explained that the first phase of aid would be dispatched with two Indonesian Air Force planes, totaling 21 tons on the same day, and the remaining 30 tons would be sent via cargo planes from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport tomorrow (11/05/2023). The aid will be transported to El Arish Airport in Egypt after waiting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“From here, it will be taken through Jeddah, where it has stopped to wait in line to enter El Arish. From El Arish, it will then be transported to Gaza,” he added.
The first phase of aid consists of items tailored to the needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza, including water purification devices. Additionally, medical equipment, medicines, and food supplies are also being sent.
In a separate statement, Foreign Minister (Menlu) Retno Marsudi explained that Deputy Foreign Minister Pahala Mansuri would lead the first-phase aid shipment and depart with two aid transport planes. As for the second phase of aid shipment, Menlu mentioned that the government is actively preparing it, including significant healthcare equipment.
“For the second phase, as mentioned by President earlier, we are in the preparation process, including large healthcare equipment because our concern is healthcare services that match the needs in the field, which are indeed challenging,” Menlu said.
Furthermore, Menlu stated that some medical equipment is currently being ordered because it is not readily available in stock. Once these items become available, they will be shipped as soon as possible along with other aid in the second phase.
“We don’t know yet, but we have started to include the medical equipment that we need to order, so as soon as those items arrive and other items are ready, they will be sent as quickly as possible,” she explained (Marwan Azis)
