Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia During the Send-Off Ceremony of Humanitarian Aid to Palestine, at Indonesian Air Force Base, Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta, November 4, 2023

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Your Excellency the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Indonesia Mr Zuhair Al Shun;
Distinguished Cabinet Ministers;
Distinguished Donors from Non-Governmental Organizations, Humanitarian Institutions, and Business Entities;
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Alhamdulillah, thank God, this morning Indonesian aid for the Palestinian people will immediately depart for El Arish Airport in Egypt. The aid will be distributed in Gaza.

This is the first batch aid. The 51.5 tonnes of the first batch aid will be carried by three planes. The aid consists of food, medical equipment, blankets, tents and other logistics items, in line with the needs of the people in Gaza. The next batch of the aid for Palestine is being prepared.

The assistance is not only from the Government but also from communities and business entities, channeled through various humanitarian institutions, including the National Zakat Agency (Baznas), the Indonesian Humanitarian Alliance (IHA), the Indonesian Red Cross Society (PMI), Kitabisa, as well as from the Government, the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri). We hope that there will be more aid from communities and business entities.

The aid shows Indonesia’s solidarity and Indonesian people’s concern for humanity, because the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza is unacceptable and must be ended immediately.

Let me reaffirm that Indonesia will always support the struggle of the Palestinian people.

I thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(RI/LW)