JAKARTA - The warship of the Republic of Indonesia (KRI) Dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat-992 has not been able to sail to waters near Gaza, Palestine. In response, Defense Minister (Manhan) Prabowo Subianto contacted the Egyptian Defense Minister General Mohamed Ahmed Zaki.
KRI dr. Radjiman, whose use is for mobile hospitals for victims of Israeli aggression in Gaza, has not been able to sail closer to Palestine because permission (clearance) from the Egyptian government has not been issued.
"I have reported this to the President (Joko Widodo, ed.), I continue to contact the Egyptian Minister of Defense with him. He asked to be detained first because there were so many ships waiting," Prabowo said during a press conference at the handover of 8 H225M Helicopter Units at Atang Sendjaja Air Base, Bogor, West Java, Friday, December 1, confiscated by Antara.
KRI dr. Radjiman was originally close to Palestine through the Egyptian region at Sinai, namely El Arish. The area is the gathering point for aid, as well as the closest location to enter the Gaza region, precisely at the Rafah border.
He stressed that the Indonesian Navy's hospital ship had not been allowed to sail into Egyptian waters approaching Gaza in the next few weeks.
"What is clear is that he said that the ship's hospital asked to be detained first because to get closer there, the Egyptian Defense Minister said it had not been possible in recent weeks," Prabowo said.
However, Prabowo said he continued to communicate with the Egyptian Defense Minister to discuss not only related to sailing permits, but other shipments of aid and humanitarian action that Indonesia could carry out on the Egyptian-Palestinian border near Gaza.
"I continue to coordinate with the parties involved there, and we will look for concrete ways to help there, but what is clear is that I have offered, and we are coordinating if necessary we evacuate the victims, injured patients, who need treatment, rehabilitation. We have said that all TNI hospitals are open to patients from Palestine," he said.
However, regarding the evacuation of war victims in Gaza, Prabowo is still asking for instructions and directions from the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo.
Apart from the unlicensed permit, the Indonesian Navy has prepared KRI dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat-992 to undergo humanitarian missions in waters near Gaza.
The ship has been painted white considering its function later as an auxiliary hospital. White paint of the ship along with red cross marks on several parts of the ship in accordance with international rules, namely the Geneva Convention and the San Remo Manual that the hospital ship for humanitarian missions is painted white so that it does not become the target of shooting those who are at war.
Since Thursday 30 November, KRI dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat-992 docked at the TNI AL Military Cross-Seatorial Command Headquarters Pier (Kolinlamil), Jakarta.
The ship was not only ready to carry out humanitarian missions in waters near Gaza, but carried aid of 80 trucks consisting of pampers (532 sacks), children's clothing (600 sacks), adult clothing (700 sacks and 500 boxes), milk (800 boxes), biscuits (650 boxes), gallon mineral water (1,254 gallons), cardboard mineral water (1,700 boxes), medicines (460 boxes), blankets (450 sacks), jackets (450 sacks), and instant noodles (470 cardboard).
The number if grouped according to the container is 4,080 boxes, 2,732 sacks, 500 boxes, and 1,254 gallons.
KRI Commander dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat-992 Marine Colonel (P) Bayu Dwi Wicaksono ensured that ships were ready to sail across the ocean to safe waters near Gaza to help care for and provide health services to Palestinians who were victims of war.
"This ship has been sailing for almost a year. We carried out an operation mission in Indonesia yesterday in Natuna. We carried out social services there. I think we were able to carry out (operations) in other countries," said KRI Commander dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat answered reporters' questions when he was met on the ship, Jakarta, Thursday.
If later the Egyptian government allows Indonesia to send KRI dr. Radjiman as a hospital ship helped to safe waters near Gaza, the voyage became the first mission of KRI dr. Radjiman crossed the ocean and left Indonesian waters.
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