New Delhi: As the Gaza conflict shows no immediate signs of let-up and the number of deaths, including of scores of children, mount to over 1,400, a concerned India is planning to send $1 million to a UN fund to provide aid to the suffering Palestinians fleeing the battle zone.
The $1 million would go towards providing medicines, food, constructing shelters for the Palestinians in Gaza whose land is being bombarded relentlessly in Israeli air and ground attacks, said an official source declining to be named.
"We are planning to send the $ 1 million to provide medicines, food and other aid to the people of Gaza," the official told IANS.
The money would be sent to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees that provides education, health care, social services and emergency aid to the millions of Palestinians refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
India contributes $1 million towards the UNRWA fund each year. The money is being planned to be expedited in view of the unceasing violence and the mounting suffering of the people of Gaza.
India voted against Israel in the July 24 UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution that sought a probe into Israel's offensive in Gaza ad also condemned Tel Aviv's "disproportionate use of force". The India vote caused some consternation in Israel, with which India shares good relations.
There was some censure for India's negative vote for Israel as experts felt that maybe India should have abstained, keeping in mind the good economic relations, especially in defence purchases, New Delhi shares with Tel Aviv.
"India has been always voting for Palestine. We have been doing so for years, and there is no change in that policy of India," said another official source declining to be named.
