17-3-2024 (SINGAPORE) Vivan Balakrishnan, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Singapore, met with his Jordanian counterpart in Amman on Saturday (Mar 16) as part of Singapore’s ongoing humanitarian aid mission to Gaza.
During his visit to Amman from Saturday to Sunday, Minister Balakrishnan called on Ayman Safadi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Singapore stated on Sunday that Dr. Balakrishnan expressed his gratitude for Jordan’s support in facilitating Singapore’s humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
“Both ministers acknowledged that the strong bilateral relationship has enabled close collaboration in organizing the ongoing humanitarian aid mission for Gaza by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF),” added the ministry.
“They agreed on the urgent need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and emphasized the exploration of additional channels to deliver aid to Gaza.”
Singapore is dispatching its third phase of humanitarian assistance to Gaza through Jordan. On Friday, an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and a C-130 transport aircraft departed from Singapore for the mission.
At the invitation of the Jordanian government, the C-130 will remain in Jordan to carry out humanitarian airdrop operations with support from the Jordanian Armed Forces, as announced by the MFA on Friday.
The Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre (RHCC) of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has played a leading role in coordinating and consolidating contributions of humanitarian aid supplies from various agencies, including the SAF, Ministry of Health (MOH), and the non-governmental organization Relief Singapore.
Both ministers also expressed satisfaction with the successful outcomes of the official visit to Singapore by Jordan’s Crown Prince Al Hussein in January 2024.
“They anticipate stronger and deeper cooperation in areas such as capacity building, technical and vocational education and training, and the enhancement of business-to-business links,” stated the MFA.
Crown Prince Al Hussein visited Singapore from January 10 to January 12 and held meetings with several Singaporean leaders, including President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
During the visit, six memorandums of understanding were signed.itarian Aid Efforts
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas launched fighters into Israel, resulting in the death of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 253 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
Israel’s ground and air campaign has claimed the lives of over 31,500 individuals, as reported by the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Israel claims to have killed at least 13,000 Hamas members in the fighting in Gaza.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated on Saturday that acute malnutrition is rapidly increasing in the northern part of Gaza as a result of the conflict.
According to UNRWA, one in three children under the age of two in northern Gaza is currently suffering from acute malnutrition.
Relief deliveries by air and sea to Gaza have commenced. The World Central Kitchen, which pioneered a new sea route via Cyprus, delivered its first shipment to Gaza on Friday.
On Saturday, a second cargo of food aid was prepared to depart by sea from Cyprus, as announced by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. The United States and Jordan reported conducting an airdrop of humanitarian aid.
Israel has stated its intention to send a delegation to Qatar for further discussions with mediators following Hamas’s presentation of a new proposal for a ceasefire involving the exchange of hostages and prisoners.
