SAF personnel brave unfamiliar territory, conflict risk to airdrop aid in war-torn Gaza

As his fiancée handled their wedding planning in Singapore, First Sergeant Muhammad Faisal Sharudin was in Jordan, helping to load nearly 15 tonnes of humanitarian supplies onto a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) aircraft bound for Gaza.

- Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

The 27-year-old aerial cargo rigger was among 58 SAF personnel and Singapore defence partners who worked alongside foreign militaries to airdrop the aid from Aug 12 to 25 for victims of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

He admitted he was nervous before the deployment, but said the training—and a sense of purpose—carried him through.

"I felt nervous, had a bit of anxiety, but with the training I went through, I felt ready to go," he told The Straits Times. "I was excited to go because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to help people in need."

Operating out of a Jordanian base where temperatures hit 45 deg C, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 crew braved tough conditions and the risks of flying near a conflict zone.

Lieutenant-Colonel C. Teeneshwaran, who was the air mission commander, said the biggest challenge was navigating the "dynamic" environment.

"A lot of things were new to us," said the 37-year-old pilot. "The climate was different, the operating environment was different... We were not operating alone, but with other air forces."