S'pore to increase aid, engagement with Palestinian Authority amid Gaza peace plan

Republic to offer more help as Palestinian Authority prepares for eventual governance: Vivian

- Samuel Devaraj Correspondent

Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers in Cairo packing aid from the Singapore Red Cross to deliver to Palestinians in September. Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore has worked with the Egyptian Red Crescent, Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, World Food Programme and a few Egyptian hospitals over the past two years to deliver aid to Gaza.

(PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO)

With the first phase of a peace plan in Gaza in motion, Singapore will look to do more in delivering humanitarian assistance and engaging the Palestinian Authority as it prepares for eventual governance of the city, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

He was responding to questions from MPs in Parliament on Oct 15, after Israel and Hamas signed off on phase one of US President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan.

Dr Balakrishnan said the opening of overland routes into Gaza will be crucial for humanitarian assistance to be delivered at the scale required.

"We will certainly look forward to doing more with our partners in the region, and I would add, we also expect the Israelis to do their part to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance overland through the crossings into Gaza," he added.