The second Indian Air Force (IAF) C17 aircraft, carrying 32 tonnes of aid for civilians in Gaza caught up in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, departed on Sunday morning for the El-Arish Airport in Egypt.

Israel-Hamas War Update: The second tranche of India’s humanitarian aid for battle-torn Palestine arrived in Egypt on Sunday even as the brutal Israel-Hamas war raged on inside the Gaza strip as the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) fought pitched battles with Hamas militants inside the battered enclave.,

In a social media post, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the aid material has been handed over Egyptian Red Crescent for further transmission to Palestine.

“2nd tranche of India’s humanitarian assistance for the people of Palestine arrives in Egypt. Relief material handed over to Egyptian Red Crescent for further transmission to Palestine,” Bagchi wrote on X.

2nd tranche of 🇮🇳’s humanitarian assistance for the people of Palestine arrives in Egypt.

Relief material handed over to Egyptian Red Crescent for further transmission to Palestine. pic.twitter.com/FX2pFwtpIw

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) November 19, 2023

The second Indian Air Force (IAF) C17 aircraft, carrying 32 tonnes of aid for civilians in Gaza caught up in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, departed on Sunday morning for the El-Arish Airport in Egypt.

Taking to his official handle on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to extend humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

“We continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine. Second @IAF_MCC C17 aircraft carrying 32 tonnes of aid departs for the El-Arish Airport in Egypt,” he said.

Earlier, India sent 38 tonnes of humanitarian relief for civilians caught up in the ongoing ground offensive by the Israeli forces in the Strip. The aid package comprised fluids and painkillers. The disaster relief material, weighing approximately 32 tonnes, also included tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, basic sanitary utilities, and water purification tablets, among other items.

Recently, Bagchi said that India was planning to send more humanitarian assistance to the affected civilians in the region.

The MEA spokesperson said India has always stressed the need to avoid civilian casualties in the ongoing military operations in Gaza.

“This is not about one specific facility,” Bagchi said, adding, “India has always underlined the need for civilian casualties to be avoided, for humanitarian law to be observed, and to encourage any effort to provide humanitarian relief to those caught in the conflict.”

(With ANI inputs)