The United Arab Emirates, in partnership with World Health Organization (WHO), has announced an urgent initiative to evacuate 85 sick and severely injured Palestinians, including cancer patients in need of extensive treatment, accompanied by 63 family members, to Abu Dhabi from Ramon airport in Israel, via the Karam Abu Salem crossing.
This initiative is part of the UAE’s unwavering humanitarian commitment to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing crisis, highlighting the urgent need for intervention and reaffirming the UAE’s dedication to aiding the people of Gaza.
Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, said: “At this critical time, the urgency of our mission to evacuate injured Palestinians to Abu Dhabi cannot be overstated. This unprecedented route reflects the gravity of the situation and our resolute commitment to alleviating the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip and to ensure the arrival and distribution of relief through all available means, including land, sea and air.
“This initiative is testament to the UAE’s enduring and historic support for the Palestinian people, guided by our unwavering dedication to providing immediate relief and advancing peace in the face of immense adversity,” she added.
To date, the UAE has welcomed 709 patients from Gaza, along with 787 of their family members, to receive medical treatment, following the directive of His Highness UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to thegovernment to provide care to 2,000 injured and cancer patients from Gaza.
“This significant scale-up in our efforts demonstrates our solidarity with the Palestinian people and our determination to alleviate their suffering and ensure urgent, sustainable, unhindered delivery of aid, at a wide scale and through all possible means. We remain resolute in our collaboration with international partners to ensure that our aid reaches those in desperate need,” said H.E. Al Hashimy.
WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked the UAE for supporting the evacuation of sick and injured people from Gaza to receive the urgent care they need.
“We hope this paves 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,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said. “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.”
Additionally, the UAE has provided more than 40,000 tonnes of crucial aid, food, relief, and medical items, through eight 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 tonnes of humanitarian supplies. It is the largest shipment since the launch of the relief operations.