Singapore is stepping up its humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians affected by the ongoing crisis in Gaza, strengthening partnerships with international relief organisations to ensure that food, water, medical supplies and other essential assistance reach vulnerable families.
The country is also preparing to launch a new fundraising campaign to encourage Singaporeans to contribute towards humanitarian assistance, particularly as thousands of displaced Palestinians face worsening living conditions ahead of the winter season.
Speaking to the media in Egypt on November 13, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad disclosed that Singapore has contributed more than $25 million in humanitarian assistance to Gaza since 2023.
He said while the contributions reflected the country’s commitment to supporting affected communities, more attention must be given to ensuring that the assistance reaches those who need it most.
“But we know that goodwill alone is not enough. What matters is also getting help to families who need it,” he said.
Zaqy acknowledged that humanitarian access into Gaza had improved since earlier in 2026 but stressed that significant challenges remained.
He explained that although an agreement provides for at least 600 aid trucks to enter Gaza daily, non-governmental organisations report that only about 200 trucks are currently able to make the journey each day.
The challenges surrounding the delivery of humanitarian assistance have prompted Singapore to establish SG for Humanity, a network launched earlier in November to strengthen coordination among the Government, established non-profit organisations and members of the public.
The initiative brings together four organisations: Humanity Matters, Mercy Relief, the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) and the Singapore Red Cross.
Through the partnership, the organisations are expected to coordinate their activities, mobilise resources and improve the delivery of relief supplies to Palestinians affected by the conflict.
As part of the initiative, RLAF signed an agreement with the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) on November 12 to expand cooperation on humanitarian relief and recovery programmes for families in Gaza and Palestinians displaced to Egypt.
To support the partnership, RLAF is expected to launch its Aid for Gaza 2027 fundraising campaign later in 2026, with a target of raising at least $1.5 million.
The funds will support several humanitarian interventions, including community kitchens, the provision of hot meals, sanitation and hygiene supplies, as well as winterisation and shelter assistance for displaced families.
The new arrangement builds on an earlier agreement signed in June 2026, under which RLAF donated more than $754,000 to the Egyptian Red Crescent to support children and families in Gaza, including Palestinians who had been displaced to Egypt.
The Singapore Red Cross has also announced an additional commitment of $200,000 towards its ongoing humanitarian response in partnership with the ERC.
The funding will support the distribution of winterisation kits, food parcels and other essential relief items. The latest commitment brings the organisation’s total contribution to $958,000.
Meanwhile, Mercy Relief is expected to provide hot meals, food parcels and livelihood support to approximately 7,800 beneficiaries in Gaza between November 2026 and February 2027.
The organisation will also distribute weekly hot meals to another 850 children and teachers across four temporary learning spaces.
Beyond providing immediate food assistance, Mercy Relief intends to support local economic activities by sourcing supplies from smallholder farmers and women’s food-processing groups.
Humanity Matters will also contribute to the humanitarian response by providing lightweight winterised blankets to displaced Palestinian patients and their caregivers at the Palestine Hospital in Egypt.
The organisation will further distribute tents and tarpaulins to families whose shelters have been affected by harsh weather conditions.
Zaqy said the establishment of SG for Humanity would help address some of the difficulties individual humanitarian organisations encounter when operating independently, particularly in navigating logistics, obtaining approvals and coordinating with local authorities.
He explained that bringing the organisations together would allow them to share resources, reduce duplication of efforts and reach more people in need.
The network will also benefit from the Singapore Government’s support, including assistance from its embassies, relevant ministries and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. Where necessary, the organisations may also receive support through military and health channels.
According to Zaqy, the broader objective is to sustain Singapore’s humanitarian response while ensuring that local organisations work with credible partners in Egypt and Palestine.
During his visit to the region, which included stops in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the minister toured the Egyptian Red Crescent Logistics Centre and the Rafah Crossing area in North Sinai.
He also visited the Palestine Hospital in Cairo, where he witnessed some of the challenges facing Palestinians who have travelled from Gaza to Egypt to receive medical treatment.
The visit provided an opportunity to better understand the conditions confronting displaced families, particularly those living in temporary shelters as the winter season approaches.
Zaqy said humanitarian organisations and agencies in Egypt had expressed appreciation for Singapore’s continued attention to the situation in Gaza, especially amid concerns that international attention could shift towards other conflicts in the Middle East.
He also highlighted the willingness of Singaporeans to contribute beyond financial donations.
According to him, some students from Singaporean madrasahs studying in Egypt have already volunteered with the Egyptian Red Crescent, while other students have expressed interest in participating in humanitarian activities.
Medical professionals have also approached the authorities to explore opportunities to send medical teams to the region, with discussions currently underway.
The renewed humanitarian efforts come at a difficult time for residents of Gaza, following heavy rainfall and strong winds that have destroyed or damaged approximately 24,000 family shelters in recent days, according to reports from Egypt.
Mercy Relief Chief Executive Leon Yip identified humanitarian access as one of the biggest obstacles confronting relief organisations working in Gaza.
He explained that restrictions on the entry and movement of supplies continue to affect the consistency of humanitarian operations, while conditions on the ground change rapidly.
Yip noted that additional emergencies, including flooding, were further increasing the needs of already vulnerable communities.
He said humanitarian organisations must constantly assess changing circumstances and work closely with their local partners to ensure that assistance achieves its intended impact.
Zaqy also dismissed the perception that the humanitarian situation in Gaza was a concern limited to Singapore’s Malay and Muslim communities.
He said there was growing interest among Singaporeans from different backgrounds, particularly young people, who wanted to play a role in supporting affected Palestinians.
“I think there is a wider group, especially among our youth, who wish to help and who wish to do something,” he said.
He added that Singapore intended to channel the compassion and willingness of its citizens into meaningful humanitarian action while ensuring that contributions reached the intended beneficiaries.
Singaporeans, businesses and local organisations interested in supporting or collaborating on SG for Humanity initiatives can register their interest through the official platform at go.gov.sg/sgforhumanity.
