SINGAPORE, Feb 5 — Singapore is planning to send its seventh tranche of humanitarian aid to Gaza, consisting of food, essential supplies, and medical supplies, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.

The minister told Parliament on yesterday that the aid delivery arrangement had been confirmed with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, a day earlier

"This will be conveyed by the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft, and we will deliver this to our Jordanian partners,” he said when answering Parliamentary Questions by West Coast GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Ang Wei Neng.

He also addressed supplementary questions by several other MPs.

Balakrishnan said that since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, Singapore and Singaporeans have contributed six tranches of humanitarian assistance worth more than S$19 million.

He said Singapore would continue to contribute bilaterally or in partnership with others in the region, considering the significant reconstruction needs for Gaza.

"We also stand ready, through our Enhanced Technical Assistance Package, to support training programmes in Gaza, in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority,” he added.

Meanwhile, the minister said the phase two and phase three of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire would be very complicated and would depend on the political will and the courage of the leaders on all sides.

"There is a very limited role for us here, in respect of that. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians whom we have engaged know our position. We stand for peace. We stand for development,” he said.

Balakrishnan said Singapore urged all parties to abide by the agreement terms, especially to enable humanitarian assistance to flow, which is vital to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation.

He said that the unimpeded delivery of aid must continue, and urged all sides to reach an agreement for the subsequent phases in order to achieve a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and to allow for the long-term reconstruction of Gaza. — Bernama