Dr Balakrishnan previously thanked Jordan for facilitating Singapore’s delivery of air aid to Gaza.
The third tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza has arrived in Jordan and the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s C-130 transport aircraft will remain there to carry out airdrop operations.
As the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens, donors are looking for alternatives including air and sea deliveries to get much-needed supplies to the famine-stricken enclave.
“Singapore continues to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and urges all parties to enable the immediate, safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected civilians in Gaza,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) said on March 17.
As part of their visit to Amman, Dr Balakrishnan and Senior Minister of State for Defense Zaqy Mohamad met with Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi.
They also had an audience with King Abdullah II Al Hussein on Sunday, which was also attended by Crown Prince Al Hussein Abdullah II.
The MFA said in a statement that Dr Balakrishnan expressed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s appreciation for Jordan’s facilitation of Singapore’s humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
He expressed Singapore’s continued support for King Abdullah II’s leadership role in “promoting peace and stability in the region including efforts to achieve a two-state solution to resolve the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.
The war in Gaza was sparked by an unprecedented Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to an Israeli tally. More than 250 hostages were captured.
Israeli counterattacks by land and air have killed more than 31,500 people, according to the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Israel says it has killed at least 13,000 Hamas members in fighting in Gaza.
