Foreign Minister Sugiono Affirms Indonesian Aid Airdrop In Gaza At Jordan's Invitation

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized that the delivery of humanitarian aid by air (airdrop) carried out by Indonesia in the Gaza Strip at the invitation of Jordan.

Indonesia, through the Garuda Merah Putih Task Force II, has successfully carried out a humanitarian assistance waterfall mission in the Gaza Strip, a real step by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia to help people in the Palestinian enclave who are malnourished and malnourished due to Israeli aggression and blockade.

"Alhamdulillah, on August 17 and 18, we managed to do an airdrop in Gaza," said Foreign Minister Sugiono after receiving German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wednesday, August 20.

"Yesterday's airdrop of aid was invited by Jordan and the United Arab Emirates to jointly become part of the country that conducts the airdrop. Hopefully what we send can be used as well as possible," explained the Indonesian Foreign Minister.

"We are part of a group from Jordan," said Foreign Minister Sugiono when asked about the Israeli media report which said that it gave Indonesia permission to do an airdrop.

Earlier, The Times of Israel reported on August 16, public broadcaster Kan reported that the Israeli Prime Minister's Office had given Indonesia special permission to send humanitarian aid by air to the Gaza Strip.

In response to the report, a diplomatic official told Kan, "The Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu invited all countries seeking help delivering food by air to Gaza to join humanitarian efforts."

It is known that the Garuda Merah Putih II Task Force managed to deploy humanitarian assistance using the C-130J Super Hercules Air Squadron 31 TNI AU, A-1339 and A-1344 aircraft. The operation was carried out from King Abdullah II Air Base, Amman, Jordan, quoted from the Indonesian Air Force website.

The assistance provided consisted of ready-to-eat food, medical equipment, blankets, and special assistance for children.

This is in line with Foreign Minister Sugiono's statement earlier this month that humanitarian aid will be deployed beyond 10,000 tonnes of rice for Gaza he expressed in "The Great Action of Defending Palestine."

Foreign Minister Sugiono said that rice is better done by road, considering hazards and other technical factors.

"Airdrop is not for rice, for other assistance, other foodstuffs, technically later," he said.