JAKARTA: The Indonesian government dispatched on Thursday its naval hospital ship to the waters near Gaza as part of its humanitarian assistance in the wake of Israeli attacks on the Palestinian enclave.
Indonesia, which has long been a staunch supporter of Palestine, dispatched two planes to send humanitarian aid to Gaza in November, with medicine, food, hygiene kit, blankets, mattresses and medical equipment for hospitals.
The third consignment weighing 220 tonnes is transported by the Indonesian Navy’s hospital ship, the KRI Radjiman Wedyodiningrat-992, which departed the Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta for the El-Arish Port in Egypt on Thursday.
“All of you today will depart for a humanitarian mission to deliver aid for our brothers and sisters in Palestine, in Gaza, who are going through a great tragedy, immense suffering, under relentless attacks that go beyond the limits of humanity and in neglect of international law,” Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said, addressing the ship’s personnel ahead of their departure.
The government, which originally planned to deploy the ship to provide health services for the people of Gaza, said it is still negotiating with Egyptian officials for authorization to do so.
“We are still preparing everything, what we are doing is sending humanitarian aid (first),” Subianto said.
