Israel is preparing the delivery of humanitarian supplies to vulnerable populations in South Sudan, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.
The move is led by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who instructed the foreign ministry agency MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, to deliver urgent assistance to the crisis-hit country.
South Sudan is currently struggling with a cholera outbreak while also facing a severe shortage of resources, the ministry explained.
The aid will include essential medical supplies for treating patients, water purification equipment, gloves and face masks food packages, as well as special hygiene kits to prevent cholera, the ministry continued.
As part of the aid operation, MASHAV will cooperate with IsraAID, an Israeli NGO active in the country.
“Israel stands by its friends in their time of need,” the ministry said.
In late July, Sa’ar hosted his South Sudanese counterpart, Monday Semaya Kumba, in Jerusalem. The two diplomats discussed the humanitarian crisis unfolding in South Sudan, which has worsened due to the influx of refugees fleeing the ongoing war in Sudan.
During their conversation, “I highlighted the hypocrisy of the international community that ignores the longstanding humanitarian crisis and suffering in Sudan, which impacts South Sudan, that receives no aid or recognition despite its significant support for the Sudanese refugees,” Sa’ar tweeted following their meeting.
The ministry’s announcement comes on the backdrop of reports suggesting that South Sudan was among five countries negotiating with Israel about the resettling of the Gaza population.
The government of South Sudan denied these reports last week, saying that its foreign ministry “firmly refutes” the news.
“These claims are baseless and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan,” the statement by its government said.
Joe Szlavik, the founder of a U.S. lobbying firm working with the South Sudanese government, told AP that officials had briefed him on the talks. He claimed an Israeli delegation was planning to visit the country to explore the possibility of setting up temporary housing for Palestinians there.
Citing a senior Israeli official on the matter, CNN reported on Aug. 14 that four additional countries—Somaliland, Ethiopia, Libya and Indonesia—were included in negotiations to resettle Palestinians from Gaza.