“What’s important is that we help address the situation in Gaza in every way possible. If evacuation can help ease the crisis, I have no objections,” Amin said in Jakarta on Sunday.
He also urged the government to prioritize humanitarian aid when evacuation is no longer viable.
“Evacuating them is not easy, but providing aid on-site is also difficult. The most feasible option for us is to offer humanitarian assistance,” added Amin, who is also a prominent Muslim cleric.
Earlier this month, President Prabowo visited five Middle Eastern countries—the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan—to seek support for the government’s evacuation plan.
Prabowo emphasized that the presence of evacuated Palestinians in Indonesia would be temporary and carried out only with the consent of all relevant parties.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono clarified on April 10 that the planned evacuation involves around 1,000 Palestinian refugees from Gaza, intended for medical treatment, not permanent relocation.
He stated that evacuees would include war victims in need of care and orphans requiring trauma recovery, given the long-term effects of war.
Sugiono also reaffirmed Indonesia’s firm rejection of any attempt to permanently displace Palestinians from their homeland, warning that such actions would violate international law.
On April 15, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan confirmed that his office is awaiting the president’s directive for the evacuation.
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Translator: Rio Feisal, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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