"To date, the task force has airdropped 91.4 tons of goods as humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza," Head of the TNI Information Center, Marine Brigadier General Freddy Ardianzah, said in Jakarta on Thursday.
He explained that the distribution is part of the TNI's peacebuilding efforts as well as a contribution to Indonesia’s consistent diplomatic support for the Palestinian struggle for independence.
According to him, the Indonesian military has repeatedly deployed Hercules C-130 aircraft to transport basic necessities, including food, medicine, and clothing, to those in desperate need in Gaza.
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Ardianzah said the essential items were airdropped at several locations near residential or refugee areas that had been cleared and deemed safe.
When Indonesians marked 80 years of independence on August 17, the Garuda Merah Putih II Task Force launched its direct humanitarian mission in Gaza by deploying two Hercules planes to airdrop 17.8 tons of essential supplies at 10 safe points.
The aircraft departed from an air base in Amman, Jordan, and returned safely after the delivery, which was made possible through cooperation with the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry and the National Alms Agency (Baznas).
The second round of airdrops took place the next day using the same pair of aircraft. On August 26, the TNI dispatched another Hercules plane from Jakarta to join the Gaza mission.
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Translator: Walda M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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