The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) will deploy a contingent to provide medical care to Palestinians and other civilians from Gaza who are being treated in Egypt¹. The contingent will comprise personnel from the SAF and MOH.

This latest mission by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and MOH continues SAF efforts to help deal with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Recent missions included the use of the MRTT aircraft to deliver relief supplies three times, airdrop operations for supplies into Gaza via its C-130 aircraft, and deployment of a medical team on board a French hospital ship.

The number of residents from Gaza that can be helped in Egyptian hospitals will be many times compared to previous SAF efforts. An advance team, comprising eight personnel from the SAF and one personnel from MOH, will depart for Egypt on 16 Apr² to work with Egyptian authorities to pave the way for the deployment of the main team, supplies and equipment, which will likely take place in the following weeks.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen,  Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health Mr Masagos Zulkifli, and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad met with the advance team and commended them for their commitment and professionalism in this important and meaningful humanitarian effort to relieve the suffering of Palestinians. 

¹Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, noted during a visit to El-Arish General Hospital, that Egyptian hospitals have treated over 8000 wounded Palestinians from Gaza. This was reported in an article in Egypt Today.

²The one personnel from MOH will depart later and join the team on 22 Apr.