TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has sent US$500,000 (NT$16.21 million) in aid to an agency providing humanitarian relief to those affected by the war in Gaza.
The aid will be provided to the Palestine division of Mercy Corps, head of the Taiwan foreign ministry's West Asia bureau Chung-yi Ho (賀忠義) said on Thursday (May 9). The international non-governmental aid organisation will use the funds to distribute food, water, tents, clothing, and other items to people in Gaza, Ho said at a regular foreign ministry press conference.
The aid is being distributed, Ho said. The ministry hopes that all parties involved in the Israel-Palestine war can continue in the spirit of previous ceasefire agreements to bring peace to the Middle East, he added.
Shortly after it occurred, Taiwan’s government condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed over 1,100 people - the catalyst for a conflict that has so far killed 34,789 Palestinians, according to an AFP report published Monday.
The US$500,000 aid donation to the aid agency in Palestine matches the figure provided to Israel in March. Following the donation, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said the items donated included communications and medical supplies, and that the funds would not be used to support military operations in Gaza.
The Taiwanese donation to Mercy Corps comes as U.S. President Joe Biden said his country will stop providing certain weapons to Israel if it chooses to launch an invasion of Rafah. The city in southern Gaza has provided a key entry-exit point for fleeing civilians and aid, per AP.