India sends humanitarian aid to people of Palestine

New Delhi: India on Sunday sent a military aircraft to Egypt with humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza amid the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

A C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) flew from Hindon near Delhi to the El-Arish airport in Egypt with 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the people of Palestine.

New Delhi’s envoy to Cairo, Ajit Gupte, handed over the consignment to the Egyptian Red Crescent for transport to the besieged Gaza Strip and distribution among the Palestinians.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently spoken to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and promised to send humanitarian aid for the people in the Gaza Strip.

The El Arish International Airport of Egypt is about 45 kilometres away from Rafah, the only border crossing into the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel.

“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,” Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, posted on X.

The material includes essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, and water purification tablets, among other necessary items, he added.

He later confirmed that the IAF C-17 aircraft had landed at the El-Arish airport, and India’s ambassador to Egypt, Ajit Gupte, handed over the relief materials to the Egyptian Red Crescent for sending them to Palestine.