Singapore announces fourth tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza

Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan announced the city state’s fourth tranche of humanitarian assistance for Gaza at a handover ceremony today.

The event was attended by Singapore’s Representative to the Palestinian Authority Hawazi Daipi, Chargé d’Affaires at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Singapore Dhabia Al Mehairbi, and Honorary Consul of the Republic of Cyprus in Singapore Raja Bose.

The fourth tranche will consist of approximately 300 metric tonnes (MT) of halal-certified canned sardines and 1000 MT of white rice. These essential supplies will be transported via commercial sea freight from Singapore to Larnaca, Cyprus, for onward conveyance to Gaza, in cooperation with the UAE and Cyprus.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged the deep distress and grief among Singaporeans over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has now entered its ninth month.

He highlighted Singapore’s active support for humanitarian efforts in Gaza since the start of the conflict, with both official and private contributions supporting multiple fundraising efforts. Organizations like the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, Mercy Relief, and the Singapore Red Cross have been pivotal in these efforts.

Dr Balakrishnan outlined the previous tranches of aid, including the first tranche of public donations overseen by Minister Maliki Osman in Cairo in November 2023, the second tranche delivered to Al Arish, Egypt, later that month, and the third tranche airdropped into Gaza from Amman, Jordan, in March 2024. Additionally, the SAF deployed a medical team on board a French Armed Forces ship in Al Arish in January 2024 to treat civilian casualties.

“Food insecurity remains a pressing concern in Gaza,” Dr Balakrishnan stated, noting that the fourth tranche of humanitarian assistance will include 300 MT of sardines and 1000 MT of rice. This aid will be shipped from Singapore to Larnaca, Cyprus, and then to Gaza for distribution. “This latest tranche of aid represents our continued and steadfast commitment to alleviate the suffering in Gaza,” he added.

To date, Singapore has contributed more than S$17 million in donations for Gaza, including S$8.1 million raised by the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and over S$2 million for UNICEF.

Dr Balakrishnan expressed hope for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, allowing for the release of hostages and the delivery of aid. He also emphasized the need for a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Singapore’s long-standing position on Israeli settlements is clear: they are viewed as illegal under international law and a barrier to a negotiated two-state solution. Dr Balakrishnan affirmed Singapore’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian Authority, particularly in capacity-building efforts through the Enhanced Technical Assistance Package.

Dr Balakrishnan’s earlier comments on 2 July which referred to the conflict at Gaza as a “family quarrel” sparked controversy.

During a Parliamentary session, he affirmed that Singapore is “prepared in principle” to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, contingent upon it having an effective government that renounces terrorism and recognizes Israel’s right to exist. This statement was in response to a question by Workers’ Party MP for Aljunied GRC, Mr Gerald Giam, about the criteria for recognizing Palestine and whether such recognition would aid in advancing negotiations.

Dr Balakrishnan emphasized the necessity of an effective Palestinian government representing all Palestinians, exercising authority over the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and possessing the mandate to engage in negotiations with Israel. “We are not going to lock ourselves into a specific time or to whether or not other countries have made decisions in parallel, on the same fundamental question,” he said. He also distinguished between the existence of effective Palestinian leadership and the recognition of a formal Palestinian state, suggesting that Singapore should maintain a principled stance of neutrality in international conflicts.

Netizens ridiculed an awareness video posted on the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF) Instagram account, which urged neighborhood intervention in domestic violence cases to save lives.

They pointed out the irony in light of Dr Balakrishnan’s recent remarks, describing the conflict in Gaza as a “family quarrel in another family” and emphasizing that it is “fundamentally not our quarrel.” The perceived inconsistency in Singapore’s approach to intervening in conflicts has sparked debate among the public.