Singapore to deliver seventh tranche of humanitarian aid to Gaza

SINGAPORE: Singapore will deliver a seventh tranche of humanitarian aid to Gaza, consisting of food, essential supplies, and medical items.

The announcement was made by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, during his address to Parliament on Tuesday (4 Feb).

He confirmed that arrangements were made with the Jordanian Foreign Minister to facilitate the aid’s delivery.

This decision follows a question from People’s Action Party (PAP) MP Ang Wei Neng, who asked whether Singapore would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza in light of the recent ceasefire.

On 15 January 2025, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced, followed by an exchange of hostages and prisoners from both sides.

Dr Balakrishnan welcomed the multi-phase ceasefire and hostage release agreements, stating, “Singapore welcomes the multi-phase ceasefire and the hostage release agreements that were announced on 15 January 2025.”

He emphasized the importance of all parties abiding by the terms of the agreement, particularly to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza.

“We urge all parties to abide by its terms and especially to enable humanitarian assistance to flow,” he added.

Dr Balakrishnan further expressed relief that humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza had increased in the past two and a half weeks.

“Fortunately, we’ve seen an increased delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza in the last two and a half weeks, and this is vital to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation,” he said.

He also emphasized that the unimpeded delivery of aid must continue.

He urged all parties to reach an agreement on the subsequent phases of the ceasefire in hopes of achieving “hopefully, a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages and to allow for the long-term reconstruction of Gaza.”

Six Tranches Delivered So Far

Since 7 October 2023, Singapore has delivered six tranches of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, amounting to more than S$19 million.

The most recent tranche, delivered on 21 January, saw Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohamad Maliki Osman hand over about S$1.3 million raised by the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation’s (RLAF) public fundraising campaign.

The seventh tranche of aid will be transported by the Republic of Singapore Air Force aboard a Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft, which will deliver it to Jordan for onward transfer to Gaza.

Dr Balakrishnan also noted that a new round of fundraising will be launched by RLAF during the upcoming Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which begins in March.

He took the opportunity to thank Singapore’s citizens for their contributions, noting that the country’s humanitarian assistance would not have been possible without the “generous support of Singaporeans” and the efforts of organizations like RLAF and the Singapore Red Cross.

Dr Balakrishnan also acknowledged the support of Singapore’s regional partners in the Middle East, particularly Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, and Cyprus, for their assistance in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“We look forward to doing more together, and we hope to be able to provide more help to the civilians in Gaza as they rebuild their homes and their lives,” he said.

Infrastructural Needs

Besides financial aid and supplies, Singapore plans to continue working with Palestinian leaders to help build capacity, said Dr Balakrishnan.

Almost 800 Palestinian officials have participated in capacity-building efforts in Singapore, through study visits and courses in areas like public administration, urban development, and healthcare.

Responding to Workers’ Party (WP) MP Dennis Tan, who had asked if there is any role Singapore can play to provide more technical assistance for infrastructural reconstruction, Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged the dire infrastructural needs.

More than 61,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly civilians, have been killed in the conflict since 7 October 2023, according to local health authorities. Much of Gaza now lies in ruins following attacks by Israel.

However, Dr Balakrishnan stated that the lack of a sustainable peace is the key impediment to meeting these ground needs.

“The limiting factor is not money, but it is an assurance of peace, and assurance that there is a political solution, and that whatever is built will benefit everyone fairly, and will not be destroyed again in the next paroxysm of violence,” he said.

Singapore’s Role in Sustaining Ceasefire and Promoting Peace

In response to questions from PAP MPs Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Alex Yam about how Singapore can contribute to sustaining the ceasefire and promoting regional peace and stability, Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore must “be realistic” and “circumspect” about the role it can play.

“What we can do from afar is to encourage all the parties to reach an agreement for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to pursue a longer-term solution,” he said.

However, he emphasized the complexity and deep historical entanglements of the conflict, adding, “There will be no quick and easy solutions.”

Dr Balakrishnan reaffirmed Singapore’s stance on the Palestinian people’s right to a homeland, noting that the only viable path to achieving a “comprehensive, just, and durable solution” to the conflict is a negotiated two-state solution.

“We hope that the leaders on both sides will find the political will, courage, and imagination to resume direct negotiations, although we know that these will be very difficult in light of the very painful 16 months that have just passed,” he concluded.