(Centre, from right) Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamed and Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli interact with the personnel from Medical Advance Team. - Photo: Lianhe Zaobao
SINGAPORE: A medical contingent from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Health Ministry will fly to Egypt in the coming weeks to provide care to Palestinians and help the people of Gaza.
In preparation, a team of eight people from the SAF will travel to Egypt to engage on-the-ground groups and the Egyptian authorities to learn about what preparations are needed in terms of supplies and equipment.
Another person from the MOH will join them on April 22.
The team was sent off at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) headquarters at Gombak Drive on Wednesday (April 16).
The event was attended by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamed.
Speaking to media, Dr Ng said that Singapore has been looking to ease the suffering of Palestinians since the October 7 attacks and the unfolding of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“In selecting what we can contribute, we’ve been very careful to look at what we can accomplish, whether we can be effective and also keep soldiers and personnel safe,” he said.
“The situation in Gaza just wasn’t amenable to these conditions, because we were worried that if we send people in and there’s destruction there, and they will be caught, or at the very least, their operations will have to cease.”
He added: “But these opportunities in Egypt seem sustainable because they’ve been treating patients for quite some time, therefore we decided that this is the approach.”
Dr Ng said he expects this deployment to be longer than usual, and could take months or more if the team is effective and making a difference.
The medical contingent is focusing on Egyptian hospitals as this is where Palestinians from Gaza have been evacuated to and treated at over the past couple of months since the January ceasefire, he added.
The SAF and MOH asked to assist the Egyptian medical personnel, and they agreed, he said.
The number of residents from Gaza that can be helped in Egyptian hospitals will be “many times compared to previous SAF efforts”, said Mindef in a statement on April 16.
Earlier relief efforts from Singapore include the deployment of a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft that delivered humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the deployment of a medical team on board a French hospital ship to treat casualties from Gaza at Egypt’s El-Arish Port.
Zaqy had visited Egypt in February to explore areas for further collaboration between the two countries to support humanitarian efforts for Gaza.
He told media that meeting the Egyptian Minister for Health, Dr Khaled Abdelghaffar, and Assistant Minister of Defence for Foreign Affairs, General Walaa Adel Bibers, opened the door to allow Singapore to contribute.
“Having visited the patients, those who were victims of the conflict... there is a lot Singapore can contribute to do our part to alleviate the pain and suffering for those affected. I am proud there is no shortage of volunteers,” he said.
Masagos said the deployment is another demonstration of Singapore’s commitment to help the people of Gaza.
“I’m happy that Singapore shows that we care for people who are going through tragic moments,” he said.
He said that the community in Singapore has raised S$15 million for the people of Gaza, S$2 million of which was raised during the month of Ramadan in March.
With the Government, a total of more than S$20 million has been poured in support for the people in Gaza, he added. - The Straits Times/ANN
