JAKARTA – Indonesia airdropped 30.7 tons of aid into Gaza between 20 and 25 August 2025, in collaboration with Jordan and the UAE to reach Palestinian refugees in Central Gaza.
The air-drop initiative demonstrates the commitment of Indonesian civil society to keep aid flowing, even as land and sea routes face severe obstacles. The Forum Zakat (FOZ) noted that this spirit aligns with wider international missions, such as the Global Sumud Flotilla, which seeks to break the blockade by sea.
FOZ coordinated the aid delivery, mobilizing 64 national zakat institutions, including DT Peduli, and Paragon Corp as a corporate partner. UAE military aircraft distributed the aid, with support from Indonesian diaspora volunteers in Jordan.
“Aid delivery from Indonesia through air-drop was also conducted in cooperation between the Government of Indonesia and the Government of the UAE. Using UAE aircraft, the airdrop took place on 20–25 August 2025 to deliver humanitarian assistance collected from over 64 zakat institutions in Indonesia, including contributions from Paragon Corp,” said Ahrul Tsani Fathurrahman, Director for the Middle East, Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“There are 64 zakat institutions involved, supported by Paragon, as well as the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Indonesian Ulema Council,” added Kholaf Hibatulloh, Head of Networking and Collaboration at FOZ.
Aid for More Than 10,000 People in Gaza
The assistance was packaged into emergency food parcels, dropped by parachute into the coastal area of Central Gaza, now one of the most overcrowded and hardest-hit zones of displacement.
Each package was designed to cover the needs of a family for several days. In total, the air-drop is expected to reach more than 10,000 beneficiaries in Gaza.
The operation comes as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) officially declared Gaza to be in a state of famine, the highest level of global food crisis.
As of 22 August 2025, more than 641,000 people in Gaza have been affected by famine. At least 300 people, including 117 children, have died from malnutrition. Medical facilities and civilian infrastructure remain paralyzed, while disease spreads in overcrowded, unfit refugee camps.
This air-drop marks Indonesia’s strategic contribution to global humanitarian efforts, complementing other attempts to keep aid corridors open to Gaza—whether by air, land, or sea. FOZ has called on all elements of society to strengthen solidarity and continue pushing for sustained humanitarian access to the Palestinian people.