SINGAPORE — Singapore completed its first humanitarian airdrop into Gaza on Wednesday (March 20), with crates containing food and other essential items parachuted into the enclave.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) said its C-130 transport aircraft had "successfully executed" its first humanitarian aid airdrop.

"The airdrop mission was closely coordinated with the Jordanian Air Force.

“Every little bit counts; we hope these airdrop missions will bring some relief to the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” it added.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday: "First airdrops with food supplies from the RSAF’s C-130.

"From Singapore to the Palestinians in Gaza. We hope that (this) humanitarian aid will bring relief to families there."

In another post on Tuesday, he thanked Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen and women who are helping to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

"As they carry out airdrops over the coming days, support them strongly in your hearts, and prayers for mission success and safe return home, to their families and Singapore," he wrote.

The humanitarian package, put together by the Singapore government in close consultation with Jordan, is "based on the needs on the ground in Gaza".

It includes meal packs, medical supplies and equipment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said on Sunday.

This is Singapore's third tranche of aid for civilians in Gaza. It has also handed over a donation of S$6.1 million, collected by the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Singapore has joined several countries in efforts to airdrop much-needed aid to the hunger-stricken enclave, as aid agencies face obstacles via land routes.

The RSAF is conducting the airdrop operations out of Jordan, together with the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan called the latest humanitarian aid package “an expression of Singaporeans’ care, concern and compassion for Palestinians in Gaza”.

'GONE TOO FAR'

While in Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a 10-day working trip to the Middle East, Dr Balakrishnan met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, among other officials.

Dr Balakrishnan told Israel's leaders that its actions in Gaza have "gone too far". He also called for an immediate ceasefire for aid to flow into Gaza swiftly, expressing Singapore's deep concern with the dire humanitarian situation, MFA said in a statement.

During their meetings, he expressed Singapore’s sympathies to all the families affected by the Hamas attack on Oct 7, 2023.

While he pointed out that what happened on that day was a "clear, flagrant, heinous act of terror", he also spoke about the Israeli military actions that followed. 

In a doorstop interview in Israel on Wednesday, Dr Balakrishnan said: "But where we have a difference with Israel, particularly, and that is why the discussions today have been, I would say, candid, frank, sometimes even brutal, if need be — where we have a difference is, we believe that the Israeli military response has now gone too far.

"I have communicated that both to the prime minister, to the foreign minister, and to the other Israelis whom we have met."

Dr Balakrishnan was due to leave Israel on Wednesday for the United Arab Emirates. He will also visit Egypt and Saudi Arabia as part of his trip to the Middle East.

He is accompanied by a delegation that includes five Members of Parliament - Mr Alex Yam, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, Ms Rachel Ong, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam.

During his visit to Ramallah on Monday, Dr Balakrishnan updated Palestinian leaders on Singapore’s humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas are resuming in Qatar's capital this week, after Hamas' counter-proposal last week was rejected by Israel.

The two sides have been discussing a six-week truce, which would see about 40 Israeli hostages freed in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees and aid to be sent to the Gaza Strip.

Hamas' Oct 7 attack on southern Israel has resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli tallies. More than 250 hostages were seized.

Israel's retaliatory ground and air campaign has killed more than 31,500 people, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. Israel said it has killed at least 13,000 Hamas members in the Gaza fighting. CNA