Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan announced the delivery of 1300 MT of food supplies to Gaza as part of Singapore’s ongoing humanitarian efforts.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan announced Singapore’s fourth tranche of humanitarian assistance for Gaza at a handover ceremony today. The event was attended by Singapore’s Representative to the Palestinian Authority Hawazi Daipi, Chargé d’Affaires at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Singapore Dhabia Al Mehairbi, and Honorary Consul of the Republic of Cyprus in Singapore Raja Bose.

The fourth tranche of aid includes approximately 300 metric tonnes of halal-certified canned sardines and 1000 metric tonnes of white rice. These essential supplies will be transported via commercial sea freight from Singapore to Larnaca, Cyprus, for onward conveyance to Gaza, in cooperation with the UAE and Cyprus.

This latest aid package is part of Singapore’s ongoing effort to support humanitarian relief operations for civilians in Gaza. The previous tranche of aid, consisting of food and critical supplies, was delivered to Gaza in March 2024 in coordination with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. To date, Singapore has contributed more than S$17 million worth of donations for Gaza.

Dr Balakrishnan reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to assisting Gaza’s civilians, stressing the importance of close collaboration with partners. He called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional and safe release of all hostages, and the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid to affected civilians in Gaza.

In his speech, Dr Balakrishnan highlighted Singapore’s active support for Gaza since the conflict began. He acknowledged the contributions of Singaporean organizations like the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, Mercy Relief, and the Singapore Red Cross. He also detailed previous aid efforts, including the deployment of the RSAF Multi Role Tanker Transport and medical teams to assist Gaza civilians.

Dr Balakrishnan concluded by expressing hope for a humanitarian ceasefire and a long-term, just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reiterating Singapore’s support for a two-state solution and the ongoing capacity-building efforts for the Palestinian Authority.

Source – MFA