India on Sunday sent nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the people of Palestine. The consignments were sent in a C-17 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The plane is transporting the aid to El-Arish airport in Egypt.
“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,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on ‘X’.
“The material includes essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, water purification tablets among other necessary items,” he said.
India sent the aid three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed condolences to President of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas over the deaths of civilians at a hospital in Gaza and reiterated India’s long-standing “principled position” on the Israel-Palestine issue.
In a phone conversation on Thursday, the prime minister told the Palestine Authority President that New Delhi will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. India has been supporting Palestine and Palestinian refugees through contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Meanwhile, leaflets marked with Israel Defence Forces name and logo and audio messages sent via mobile phones of Palestinians warned the civilians in northern Gaza to move to south of the 45km-long strip, said agency reports.
The renewed warning also added that those who don’t leave could be identified as “terrorist” sympathisers. “Urgent warning, to residents of Gaza. Your presence north of Wadi Gaza puts your life in danger. Whoever chooses not to leave north Gaza to the south of Wadi Gaza might be identified as an accomplice in a terrorist organisation,” the leaflet said.
This is not the first time that Israel has warned Palestinians to move south but Palestinians reportedly said this was the first time they were told that they could be considered “terrorist” sympathisers if they remain in the north.
