In a significant humanitarian effort, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday, July 31, evacuated 85 sick and severely injured Palestinians from Gaza, along with 63 accompanying family members, to Abu Dhabi for urgent medical care. Among them are cancer patients who require extensive treatment.
Minister of state for international cooperation, Reem Al Hashimy, said that, at this critical time, the urgency of the country’s mission to evacuate injured Palestinians to Abu Dhabi cannot be overstated.
“This unprecedented route reflects the gravity of the situation and our unwavering commitment to alleviating the suffering of the Gaza Strip and ensuring the arrival and distribution of relief through all available means, including land, sea, and air,” Hashimy said.
He further added that this initiative is a testament to the UAE’s enduring and historic support for the Palestinian people, guided by its unwavering dedication to providing immediate relief and advancing peace in the face of immense adversity.
Reem Al Hashimy added that, to date, the UAE has welcomed 709 patients from Gaza, along with 787 of their family members, to receive medical treatment.
This follows the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, to provide care for 2,000 injured and cancer patients from Gaza.
Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “We are thankful to the UAE for supporting the evacuation of sick and injured people from Gaza to receive the urgent care they need.”
Tedros further said that these initiatives pave the way for the establishment of evacuation corridors via all possible routes, including the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings to Egypt and Jordan, and from there to other countries.
“We also call for evacuations to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be restored. Thousands of sick people are suffering needlessly. Above all, and as always, WHO calls for a ceasefire,” Dr Tedros added.
To date, the UAE has provided over 40,000 tonnes of crucial aid, including food, relief, and medical items, through 8 aid ships, 337 flights, 50 airdrops, and 1,271 trucks.
The fourth UAE relief ship arrived in Al-Arish this week, marking the eighth shipment of aid, which carried 5,340 metric tonnes of humanitarian supplies and is the largest shipment since the launch of the relief operations, the statement said.
With inputs from ANI
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