Indonesia Ready To Send Humanitarian Aid To Gaza

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lalu Muhamad Iqbal (the two right) together with several representatives of humanitarian agencies conveyed a press statement about the plan to send aid from Indonesia to Gaza in Jakarta, Wednesday (1/11/2023). ANTARA/Yashinta Difa

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government is working with a number of humanitarian agencies ready to send aid needed by Gaza citizens, who are affected by the latest conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. "This is in line with the order of Indonesian President Joko Widodo to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi to coordinate the delivery of aid to Gaza, both from the government and from the community," said Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lalu Muhamad Iqbal in a press conference in Jakarta reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, November 1. Humanitarian aid that has been adapted to the needs of Palestinians is planned to be sent at the end of this week even though details of aid delivery are still being discussed between the government and a number of community institutions involved. "This assistance will be sent to Egypt and handed over to Egypt's Red Crescent, then distributed to Gaza by UNRWA. This is because only Egypt's Red Crescent is authorized to bring aid to Gaza," said Iqbal. The competition that has contributed to the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza's population is the Indonesian Red Cross, which has prepared assistance worth Rp. 2.9 billion in the form of a healthy kit, generator, and oxygen cylinder. "Until now, we are still waiting for approval from the UN agency which can confirm what aid items can be passed into Gaza," said PMI center administrator Niniek Kun Naryatie.

Sementara itu, Indonesia Humanitarian Alliance (IHA) telah mengumpulkan dukungan dari masyarakat hingga Rp5 miliar, yang akan disalurkan secara bertahap bagi korban konflik di Gaza.Pada periode pertama, IHA akan memberikan bantuan berupa makanan siap saji yang tahan lama, selimut, dan matras—yang pengirimannya dikoordinasikan bersama pemerintah pada akhir pekan ini."Ini adalah bentuk solidaritas masyarakat Indonesia kepada masyarakat yang terdampak di Palestina, khususnya di Gaza. Kami mendukung pemerintah Indonesia untuk terus melakukan upaya diplomatik agar pengiriman bantuan ini pintunya bisa dibuka seluas-luasnya sehingga warga penyintas di Gaza bisa segera mendapat bantuan," kata perwakilan IHA, Ali Yusuf.Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (BAZNAS) pun ikut menghimpun dana publik untuk membantu warga Palestina. Dana bantuan yang telah dikumpulkan hingga kini mencapai lebih dari Rp10 miliar, dan akan terus dihimpun hingga memenuhi target Rp20 miliar.Dana tersebut dihimpun tidak hanya melalui kantor perwakilan BAZNAS yang tersebar di seluruh provinsi dan kabupaten/kota di Indonesia, tetapi juga dari mitra pengumpulan perorangan di antaranya platform Kitabisa, ayobantu.com, Shopee, Tokopedia, Bukalapak, Blibli, dan sebagainya."Menjadi tanggung jawab kami untuk memastikan bahwa dana publik ini betul-betul bisa kami salurkan ke Gaza. Mengacu pada barang-barang bantuan yang disarankan Kemlu kami akan kirimkan makanan, obat-obatan,hygiene kit, pakaian dingin, dan selimut," kata Deputi Bidang Pendistribusian dan Pendayagunaan BAZNAS Imdadun Rahmat.Rencana pengiriman bantuan kemanusiaan Indonesia ke Gaza masih terus dikoordinasikan terutama oleh Kemlu dan Kementerian Keuangan melalui Lembaga Dana Kerjasama Pembangunan Internasional (LDKPI), Kementerian Pertahanan, Kementerian Kesehatan, serta TNI dan Polri.