13 Countries Provide Aid to Palestine, Totaling Rp5 Trillion

The Israel-Palestine conflict, which erupted on October 7, 2023, has resulted in thousands of deaths, tens of thousands of injuries, and approximately 1.4 million displaced persons.

Amidst this humanitarian crisis, the list of countries committed to providing aid to Palestinians continues to grow. The latest aid announcements come from the Norwegian and British governments.

On Sunday (October 22, 2023), the Norwegian government announced it would provide aid totaling 60 million kroner, approximately Rp86 billion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp1,434 per Norwegian krone).

"The combination of Israeli airstrikes and border closures has placed Gaza's civilian population in an impossible situation. They have nowhere to flee," said Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, as reported by ReliefWeb on Sunday (October 22, 2023).

"Along with increased financial support, we are also continuing our efforts to ensure that fuel, water, food, and medicine can enter Gaza," Eide added.

Then, on Monday (October 23, 2023), the British government announced it would add £20 million in aid, approximately Rp382 billion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp19,141 per pound sterling).

Previously, Britain had announced £10 million in aid the previous Monday (October 16, 2023). Therefore, the total aid from Britain to the Palestinians amounts to £30 million, or approximately Rp574 billion.

"I recognize the immense suffering of the Palestinian people. Too many lives have been lost and the humanitarian crisis is escalating. We need a sustained flow of aid, to get the desperately needed water, food, medicine and fuel," said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a press release on the official British government website on Monday (October 23, 2023).

Other countries that have announced similar aid since the beginning of the Israel-Palestine war include the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, the European Union, Iceland, Japan, Ireland, the United States, and Canada.

In total, during the period of October 8-23, 2023, at least 13 countries announced aid for Palestine, with a total aid value of approximately Rp5.02 trillion.

Other countries have also reportedly sent aid, such as China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Spain, and Rwanda, but the amounts have not been officially announced.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israel has opened the Rafah crossing (the border between Gaza and Egypt) since Saturday (October 21, 2023), allowing aid supplies that were previously unable to enter to now be channeled into Gaza.

However, the supply of aid permitted into Gaza is severely restricted by Israel.

"On 23 October 2023, the Rafah-Egypt crossing was opened for the third consecutive time, allowing the entry of 20 trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies. This represents approximately 4% of the average daily volume of commodities entering Gaza before the war," said OCHA in its report on Monday (October 23, 2023).

"None of these aid shipments included the much-needed fuel to supply electricity to hospitals and water facilities," it continued.