SINGAPORE – The Singapore Government and Singapore Red Cross (SRC) have pledged a total of $505,000 in humanitarian aid to support relief efforts amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

In a media statement on Monday afternoon, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said the Government will contribute $300,000 towards humanitarian relief operations through the SRC.

Earlier on Monday, the SRC pledged US$150,000 (S$205,000) to relief efforts.

Aid will be provided to its partners, including the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the Magen David Adom (MDA) in Israel, both members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the SRC in a statement on Monday. 

The SRC has also launched a public fund-raising appeal, starting on Monday, for the relief and recovery operations. The appeal will close on Jan 31, 2024. 

Hostilities between Israel and Hamas have significantly escalated since Oct 7, when the Gaza-based militant group lobbed rockets into Israel and breached the Gaza-Israel border fence to attack nearby towns.

In a tit for tat, Israel declared war on Hamas, launching air strikes at Gaza. It is reportedly gearing up for a ground invasion to destroy Hamas.

According to latest reports, more than 4,000 have been killed and thousands more were left injured in the Israel-Hamas war.

Mr Benjamin William, secretary-general and chief executive of the SRC, said: “We strongly urge the protection of non-combatants and critical infrastructure such as medical facilities, water and power systems, so that humanitarian actors, including the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, will be able to have access to civilians needing help.”

The crisis has displaced more than one million people in Gaza, said the SRC.

With this number expected to rise, the need for humanitarian assistance in the region is pressing, it added. 

Along the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the PRCS has been transporting casualties to hospital and providing emergency medical care to the injured. It has also been providing urgent field relief, including mattresses and water, to displaced families.

The MDA has deployed medical teams with ambulances and intensive care units to provide essential care for the injured. It has also ramped up blood drives and conducted evacuation operations to move civilian casualties to hospital.

To make an online donation, visit the SRC’s donation portal.