Second IAF aircraft carrying emergency aid for Gaza departs for Egypt’s El-Arish airport

Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 19 (ANI): A second Indian Air Force (IAF) C17 aircraft, carrying 32 tonnes of aid for civilians in Gaza caught up in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, on Sunday departed for the El-Arish Airport in Egypt.

Taking to his official handle on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishanker 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 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, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official 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.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his opening address at the Voice of Global South Summit on Friday, said new challenges are emerging from the events in West Asia.

He reiterated India’s condemnation of the Hamas terror attacks in southern Israel on October 7 while underlining that New Delhi has also sent humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine.

PM Modi said, “For global prosperity, sabka saath and sabka vikas is parmount. We all are seeing that new challenges are emerging from the events in the West Asia region.”

“India has condemned the terrorist attack in Israel on October 7. We have laid emphasis on exercising restraint, dialogue and diplomacy,” PM Modi said in his address.

He added that India has also sent humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine.

“We also strongly condemn the deaths of civilians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. After talking to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, we have also sent humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine,” PM Modi added.

“This is the time when the countries of the Global South should unite for the greater global good,” he stated further.

The ongoing military operations in Gaza is in response to the Hamas terror attacks in southern Israel on October 7, which left over 1,400 dead. Over 2,500 terrorists crossed over into Israel from the Gaza Strip, unleashing mayhem on civilians.

They later sneaked back into Gaza with over 200 hostages, the majority of whom are believed to be civilians.

Israel has stated that its objective behind the Gaza offensive is to target Hamas’ infrastructure with the goal of eliminating the entire terror group while making efforts to minimise civilian casualties.