Jakarta – Indonesian hospital ship KRI Dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat has completed its mission of sending humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, arriving in Jakarta on Friday.
The Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Agus Subiyanto led a ceremony to welcome the hospital ship returning from the Egypt Goodwill/Port Call 2024 mission to the El Arish Port in Egypt, the Indonesian Navy said in a press release on Friday.
In his address, Agus said the humanitarian mission carried out by KRI Radjiman was in line with Law No. 34/2004 on the TNI, especially Article 7 Clause 2, which stipulates "to conduct world peace duties according to foreign politics policy".
"I would like to thank and convey the highest appreciation for all TNI personnel taking part in the goodwill task force, for their dedication while conducting the state duty," Agus said during the ceremony at the Indonesian Navy's Military Sea Transport Command (Kolinlamil) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.
All personnel in the goodwill task force received the Satyalancana Santi Dharma medal from the president, which was presented by Agus to three personnel as representatives: task force commander Cdre. Sumarji Bimoaji, a female non-commissioned officer and an enlisted sailor.
The medal is given to any military personnel who have completed a mission abroad.
Also attending the ceremony were the Indonesian Navy chief of staff Adm. Muhammad Ali, Palestinian Ambassador to Jakarta Zuhair al-Shun, officials from the Defense Ministry as well as ranking officers from the TNI and Indonesian Navy headquarters.
KRI Radjiman underwent a trip of 10,983 nautical miles in 57 days, departing Jakarta on Jan. 19 with stops in Batam, Riau Islands; Belawan, North Sumatra and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia before arriving at El Arish Port in Egypt on Feb. 13.
The hospital ship was only able to send humanitarian aid instead of serving as a hospital ship as Indonesia initially planned. The Egyptian authorities only gave four days to unload the 242 tons of humanitarian aid.
A representative from the Egyptian Red Crescent, Ahmed Buhaeri Ali, received the humanitarian aid, which would then be sent by trucks overland to the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip.
So far, the Israeli military has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in indiscriminate attacks on civilians, as a response to the Oct. 7 surprise attack carried out by Hamas resistance fighters.
Source: https://asianews.network/indonesian-hospital-ship-concludes-humanitarian-mission-for-palestine