Indonesia to treat 2,000 wounded Gazans
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Indonesia will treat 2,000 wounded Gazans on Galang Island, stressing the move is humanitarian, not a displacement plan.
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Sara Al-Nouri mourns over the body of her 13-year-old sister, Sama, who was among 10 children and five adults killed by an Israeli strike outside a medical clinic in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The Indonesian government will convert a medical facility on the currently uninhabited Galang Island to treat around 2,000 wounded Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, a presidential spokesperson announced on Thursday.
“Indonesia will give medical help for about 2,000 Gaza residents who became victims of war, those who are wounded, buried under debris,” said presidential spokesperson Hasan Nasibi, clarifying that the initiative is not an evacuation or displacement operation.
The patients are expected to return to Gaza after recovery, although no timeframe was provided. Nasibi referred further questions to the foreign and defense ministries, which have not yet responded to media inquiries.
The facility on Galang Island, located off Sumatra and south of Singapore, will be adapted to accommodate wounded Palestinians and temporarily shelter their families. The site is currently uninhabited and previously served as a COVID-19 treatment center and, before that, a refugee camp for people fleeing the Vietnam War in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Indonesian initiative comes amid the devastating humanitarian toll of the ongoing war. Since “Israel” launched its offensive on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials.
Indonesia reiterates rejection of Gaza displacement plans
The humanitarian plan follows a previous offer by President Prabowo Subianto to shelter wounded Palestinians, a proposal that had drawn criticism from senior Indonesian clerics for appearing similar to a US-backed plan to permanently remove Palestinians from Gaza.
In response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Gazans permanently, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry emphasized its opposition. "Indonesia strongly rejects any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians," the ministry said at the time.
Jakarta maintains its support for a "Two-State solution" and continues to advocate for the protection of Palestinian sovereignty.
