Love Aid Singapore raises millions to build clinic, soup kitchens in Gaza

Singaporean activist Gilbert Goh, founder of Love Aid Singapore, has dedicated his humanitarian work to supporting displaced children, drawing from his own experience of growing up as a foster child. Goh was in Lebanon working with Palestinian and Syrian refugees when Hamas militants launched an attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a full-scale military operation in Gaza, which Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 55,000 people to date. Around 90 per cent of schools in Gaza have since been partially or fully destroyed, according to the United Nations. Shaker Al-Durra, a school principal at the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, has also become an aid worker by necessity over the past 20 months. With support from international donors, learning centres have continued providing education to around 1,600 children, despite the devastation. Goh’s organisation, Love Aid Singapore, started as a “one-man NGO” but has since raised more than S$5.3 million from regular Singaporeans for humanitarian work in Gaza. “A lot of Muslims are generous, and they donated to the Palestinian cause,” Goh said. With Singaporean donations, soup kitchens have been established in northern and southern Gaza. “Our children are starving,” Al-Durra told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) through an interpreter in Gaza. With at least 94 per cent of hospitals in Gaza damaged, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Love Aid Singapore also helped build a polyclinic from scratch in Bureij. The facility treats around 100 to 150 patients daily, with a focus on rehabilitating amputees.

Singapore-Israel Ties

Goh acknowledged that his activities had drawn scrutiny from Singaporean authorities due to the country’s diplomatic ties with Israel. “The government is watching us, yeah, very closely,” he said. “I think the government is afraid we are funding terrorism. It’s a very big fear in Singapore.” However, Goh believes the government is quietly supportive, noting that Singapore’s flag is flying over aid projects in Gaza. Israeli newspapers have described the relationship between Israel and Singapore as a “deep, dark, secret love affair”, referring to the quiet military cooperation that began in the 1960s. Former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo once described the two nations as having "a certain kindred spirit." In 2019, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations, Yeo said: “It has always been our fervent hope that Singapore can be a benefit to Israel, to whom we owe a deep, eternal debt of gratitude.” Singapore’s ties with Israel have long been kept discreet, in part to avoid backlash from neighbouring Muslim-majority countries. Neither Indonesia nor Malaysia recognises Israel, and both are vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause. Israel supported Singapore’s early development in internal security, policing, and prisons, said Meron Medzini, professor emeritus in Asian studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Israel also served as a model for healthcare and education — a small country besieged by neighbours but developing rapidly through human capital. Today, Singapore hosts a number of Israeli companies, primarily in defence, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore police used Israeli drones by Airobotics to enforce social distancing. Israel remains a regular participant in the Singapore Airshow, which attracts military delegations from around the world seeking advanced defence technology. However, on 24 May 2025, an online petition was launched urging the Singapore government to ban Israeli state-owned arms manufacturers and other military suppliers from participating in the upcoming Singapore Airshow in February 2026. The petition argues that Singapore must not serve as a “launchpad for oppression,” citing the ongoing war in Gaza and the involvement of firms supplying weapons used in Israeli military operations. By 13 June, it had gathered more than 3,300 signatures. In response to calls for Singapore to stop purchasing Israeli arms during the ongoing war, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has said the government does not disclose defence procurement details for national security reasons.

Singapore’s Support for Palestine Despite Close Israel Ties

Despite close ties with Israel, Singapore has consistently supported Palestinian-related resolutions at the UN General Assembly. This includes a December 2024 resolution demanding an end to Israel’s occupation of Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Since October 2023, the Singaporean government has provided over $22 million in aid to Gaza. However, it refrained from directly criticising Israel until recently. In May 2025, during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Singapore, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong issued his strongest criticism yet of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. He called Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid “completely unacceptable” and said they likely constituted a breach of international humanitarian law. Wong called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and unhindered delivery of aid. “Singapore also supports the right of the Palestinian people to their own homeland,” he said. “That is the only way for a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to this long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict.” Singapore’s Acting Minister in Charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Faishal Ibrahim, echoed former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s claim that Israel was committing war crimes in Gaza. “It pains me to say this, considering Israel’s contributions to Singapore in our early years, but I think we need to be frank,” Ibrahim told reporters. “I fear an increasing number of people worldwide will agree with Ehud, including myself.” “The suffering of the Palestinian civilians in occupied territories, including children, is unbearable,” he added. Israel has consistently denied allegations of war crimes, insisting that its military actions are in self-defence and that it takes steps to minimise civilian harm.

Providing Hope Amid Crisis

Despite Singapore’s small population of just 5.5 million, Goh believes the country is capable of achieving the extraordinary. “We are small, we are generous, we are very focused. I think we can do wonders in the humanitarian world.” He said Palestinians in Gaza need hope, and that restoring a sense of normality is vital. “It brings to them that we are not leaving them… Singaporeans are there for you — we have your back.” Back in Gaza, Al-Durra expressed hope for a peaceful future. More than 625,000 students in Gaza have been unable to attend school since the war began, according to humanitarian agencies. “We work on humanity’s side. We love peace. I hope that people in Gaza follow their dreams… complete their education,” Al-Durra said. “I hope that Palestinian and Israeli children live in peace,” he said.