Indonesia ready to host 1,000 Palestinians injured due to Israel war on Gaza

Indonesia is ready to temporarily host around 1,000 Palestinians from Gaza, local media reported President Prabowo Subianto saying yesterday.

The Palestinians would be those wounded or orphaned during Israel’s attacks, and they would remain in Indonesia until the situation improves. The plan requires coordination with the Palestinian government beforehand, Prabowo said, according to the Jakarta Globe.

“We are ready to accept the injured. We will immediately send our foreign minister to consult with the Palestinian government,” the president said, before departing for the Middle East.

Prabowo began his tour early yesterday, focusing on a series of talks about Gaza with regional leaders. His itinerary includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Qatar and Jordan. He is also set to visit Turkiye.

The president stated that the purpose of the trip was to demonstrate Indonesia’s readiness to assist in easing the Gaza crisis. He did not specify when he would return to Indonesia.

More than 50,800 Palestinians have been killed in the brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on the enclave.

READ: Indonesia must go beyond aid in Palestine