Indonesian Armed Forces Ready Four Battalions for Gaza Peacekeeping Mission

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian armed forces (TNI) has assembled a brigade of four battalions to serve in Gaza. This is in response to President Joko Widodo or Jokowi’s instruction to Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto concerning aid delivery to the enclave.

Head of the TNI Information Center, Nugraha Gumilar, stated the four battalions comprised of Engineer Battalion, Health Battalion, Supplies Battalion, and Support Battalion. Each battalion has its own duties while serving in Gaza.

"The Engineering Battalion is to improve infrastructure, the Health Battalion is to provide medical care," he said on Friday, June 7, 2024. Meanwhile, the Supplies Battalion is tasked with establishing a public kitchen and food services for Palestinians, and the Support Battalion is to boost security. He said the brigade consists of 1,212 TNI personnel. 

However, the deployment of the Indonesian peacekeeping force is still awaiting a United Nations (UN) mandate. 

In a joint working meeting with Commission I of the House of Representatives or DPR, TNI Commander Agus Subiyanto said his side was also ready to send a field hospital and a hospital ship to Gaza, but still waiting for the government's decision. "On this occasion, we ask DPR to support the deployment of our troops and the field hospital as a form of military diplomacy," said Agus on Thursday.

President Jokowi previously instructed Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto to send aid to Gaza, the president-elect said on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Prabowo met Jokowi at the Presidential Palace today to report the results of his working visit to Singapore. 

"In the case of Gaza, I reported (the results of the visit) to President (Jokowi) and he was quite supportive, he gave me instructions, we are ready to send hospitals, send health workers (to Gaza)," Prabowo told reporters after the meeting.

Prabowo Subianto said that Indonesia would work with partners, especially Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates which already operates a hospital in Gaza.

NOVALI PANJI NUGROHO

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