30 tons of Israeli aid to Nepal delayed in ministry mix-up

Israel was poised to send 30 tons of medical and humanitarian aid to Nepal on Monday, but due to a mix-up between the foreign, defense ministries, the shipment was not dispatched, Channel 2 reported on Tuesday.

According to the TV report, the Foreign Ministry instructed Israeli aid groups to gather supplies for the quake-ravaged country. The groups proceeded to collect donations, including medicines, blankets, and water filters.

The Foreign Ministry maintained that the Defense Ministry then reneged on its promise to transport the aid to Kathmandu, while the Defense Ministry insisted it had told the Foreign Ministry it could not transfer the supply due to “operational difficulties.”

As of Tuesday night, the 30 tons of aid remained in Israel.

The humanitarian aid was collected before a second earthquake hit Nepal on Tuesday. The 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the Chinese border between the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu and Mount Everest early Tuesday afternoon, 17 days after a first powerful earthquake left more than 8,000 people dead in the country.

Authorities in Nepal said Tuesday that at least 48 people were killed and more than 1,100 injured, while 17 people also died across the border in northern India.

The quake also brought fresh terror to a traumatized Nepal around noon on Tuesday as buildings already damaged in the monster quake last month came tumbling down.

Earlier Tuesday, the Magen David Adom emergency services said they will evacuate four Israeli babies born to surrogate mothers in Kathmandu.

Magen David Adom director Eli Bin said that doctors and paramedics would depart for Nepal as soon as possible to return the newborns and their parents to Israel.

“The MDA is in contact with the foreign and interior ministries as well as local officials in the disaster area,” Bin said.

“The team is ready to leave and will bring the babies back as soon as we receive the necessary approvals from Israel and Nepal,” he said according to the report.

Israel’s ambassador to Nepal, Yaron Meir, said in a statement Tuesday evening that the embassy in Kathmandu was helping the stranded parents and their newborns get home.

“We are accompanying them and will continue to work with all relevant parties to ensure that the families can return safely and as quickly as possible to Israel,” Meir said.