In a symbolic gesture of international solidarity, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore and First Lady Jane Yumiko Ittogi paid a historic visit on Sunday to the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) headquarters in Cairo. The visit highlighted Singapore’s growing humanitarian support for Gaza and Egypt’s critical role as a regional humanitarian hub.
The Singaporean president was accompanied by a high-level delegation and welcomed by Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity Dr. Maya Morsy, along with Minister of Education Dr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, and Dr. Amal Imam, Executive Director of the Egyptian Red Crescent.
The event marked the formal handover of a new aid package coordinated between the Singapore Red Cross and the ERC — a continuation of Singapore’s commitment to support civilians affected by the conflict in Gaza. The latest tranche included over 19 tons of medical and relief supplies delivered by air, 9 tons of food aid shipped by sea, and nine trucks carrying 131 tons of food supplies donated by the Singapore Red Cross.
Egypt’s Humanitarian Backbone
During the visit, President Shanmugaratnam praised Egypt’s consistent leadership in facilitating humanitarian access to Gaza amid ongoing hostilities, singling out the Egyptian Red Crescent for its critical role. “The Egyptian Red Crescent stands as a powerful symbol of hope and resilience, not just for Gaza but for the entire region,” he stated.
Dr. Maya Morsy welcomed the Singaporean delegation warmly, describing the ERC as Egypt’s national humanitarian mechanism responsible for delivering aid to Gaza. She emphasized the scale of ERC’s operation, which she said includes over 35,000 trained volunteers working continuously since the beginning of the conflict — now exceeding 700 days of uninterrupted aid delivery.
Unprecedented Aid Logistics
Dr. Amal Imam detailed the ERC’s coordinated efforts, noting that more than 570,000 tons of aid have been delivered to Gaza through land, sea, and air corridors, thanks to a logistical network connecting emergency operations in Cairo and Arish to the Rafah border crossing.
The ERC has processed 916 humanitarian flights and received 599 international aid shipments, working in coordination with 59 countries to maintain what officials describe as a “unified global humanitarian response.”
Additional contributions included the delivery of 209 ambulances, the construction of two hospitals in Arish, and the installation of four field hospitals inside Gaza, serving thousands of patients amid critical medical shortages.
Supporting Gaza’s Future: Education and Health
As part of the collaboration with Singapore, the ERC also announced a new project to deliver mobile educational units to Gaza, equipped to support displaced children aged 6 to 18 with structured learning environments. President Shanmugaratnam held discussions with Egypt’s Ministers of Social Solidarity and Education about expanding this initiative.
The Singapore Red Cross’ funding will also support Palestinian evacuees currently receiving medical treatment in Egypt, ensuring continued access to healthcare and essential services.
A Testament to Partnership
Dr. Amal Imam acknowledged Singapore as one of the most consistent and generous contributors to ERC operations for Gaza, citing past agreements with the Singapore Red Cross and Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, a prominent humanitarian NGO based in Singapore.
She added that this growing partnership exemplifies the spirit of international cooperation needed to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Bigger Picture
As global conflicts continue to test the limits of international humanitarian coordination, Egypt — through the Egyptian Red Crescent — has emerged as a pivotal access point for aid to reach civilians in Gaza. With over 244,000 medical services, 137,000 relief interventions, and support for over 2,000 Palestinian families, Egypt’s humanitarian engine continues to run with global support — now strengthened by Singapore’s growing involvement.
The visit concluded with the Singaporean delegation touring ERC’s logistics and aid packing center, where they observed volunteers preparing food baskets and medical kits for the next convoy to Gaza.
