“Nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the people of Palestine”, India sends aid to war torn Gaza

India has dispatched medical essentials that include lifesaving medicines and other disaster relief supplies to Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday through the Rafa Border in Egypt, amidst a raging war with Israel that has claimed thousands of lives, including children on both sides.

Taking to ‘X’, foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “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, water purification tablets among other necessary items.”

Earlier this week, in a conversation with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of Palestine, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to sending the Palestinians humanitarian aid. "Civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict are a matter of serious and continuing concern. Those involved should be held responsible," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media platform ‘X.’

At a peace summit in Egypt, Antonio Guterres, the head of the UN, pleaded for a humanitarian truce "to end this godawful nightmare." On Saturday, food, water, and medicine were brought into Gaza from Egypt, but no fuel. Soon after, the passage was closed, and the UN authorities stated that much more was required. "Gaza was a desperate humanitarian situation before the most recent hostilities… It is now catastrophic. The world must do more," five UN agencies stated in a joint statement.

In retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack that killed at least 1,400, the Israeli military has resorted to relentlessly bombarding Gaza, and cutting all its supply channel, depriving the people of the basic necessities in time of war. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the counterstrikes have killed more than 4,300 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and left large portions of the densely populated area in ruins.