The security and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is extremely poor and deteriorating. Water, food, electricity and fuel shortages, the spread of disease, limited health and hospital capacity are putting the civilian population at high risk, especially women, children and other vulnerable groups.

As a responsible non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the Republic of Slovenia is committed to providing assistance to civilian populations suffering as a result of military conflicts. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, it has already provided material assistance in the form of food and equipment for temporary shelter to the Palestinian civilian population on two occasions, on 22 February 2024 and 14 March 2024.

The material assistance will be provided from the material stocks held by the Ministry of Defence and the Slovenian Armed Forces and will consist of dry daily rations and fruity cereal bars. Material assistance in the form of food (powdered milk and other nutritional products) and sanitary supplies will also be provided in the framework of the strategic partnership between the Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs and the Slovenian Karitas.

The loading of humanitarian aid onto the C-17 aircraft was witnessed by State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Damir Črnčec and Director General of the Slovenian Protection and Rescue Administration Leon Behin. State Secretary Črnčec thanked the members of the Slovenian Armed Forces and the Slovenian Protection and Rescue Administration for their tremendous work in record time and added: »Humanitarian aid is urgently needed and is a gesture of goodwill. It is a way to help those most in need on the ground.« Director-General Behin pointed out that the timeframe was very tight and that a lot of work had been done at the National Logistics Centre in Roje near Ljubljana. They had prepared 14 air pallets with a total of 30 tonnes of aid. The estimated value of the total material assistance is up to €532,538.

The airlift of the material assistance was carried out by a C-17 aircraft within the available flight hours of the strategic airlift capability. The shipment will be picked up in Amman by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, Amman, Jordan, nominated by the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The total value of the material assistance provided by the Republic of Slovenia to the Palestinian civilian population, including transport, amounts to €2,144,668.

A video of the humanitarian aid being loaded onto the C-17 can be viewed on the Ministry of Defence YouTube channel.