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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has evacuated sick and seriously injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Abu Dhabi as part of an operation in cooperation with the World Health Organization.
State news agency Wam reported that 85 Palestinians, including wounded and cancer patients, along with 63 family members, were evacuated to Abu Dhabi from Israel’s Ramon Airport via the Karam Abu Salem checkpoint.
“The urgency of our mission to evacuate the injured Palestinians to Abu Dhabi at this critical time cannot be overstated,” said Reem Al-Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation.
“This unprecedented route reflects the gravity of the situation and our resolute determination to alleviate the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip and ensure the arrival and distribution of relief supplies through all available means, including by land, sea and air.”
“This effort is a testament to the UAE’s enduring and historic support to the Palestinian people, whose unwavering commitment to providing immediate relief and promoting peace has been in the face of great adversity.”
The UAE has received 709 patients and 787 family members from Gaza for treatment, she said.
This comes after President Sheikh Mohammed ordered that 2,000 wounded and cancer patients in the Gaza Strip be treated.
“This significant expansion of our efforts demonstrates our solidarity with the Palestinian people and our determination to alleviate their suffering and ensure the urgent, sustained and unhindered delivery of assistance across the board and through all means,” Al Hashimi said.
“We are committed to working with our international partners to ensure that aid reaches those who desperately need it.”
The operation was welcomed by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“We thank the UAE for arranging the evacuation so that these patients could receive the urgent treatment they need,” Dr Tedros said.
“We hope this will pave the way for the establishment of evacuation routes through all possible routes.”
“Thousands of sick people are suffering needlessly. Above all, and as always, we call for a ceasefire.”
The Israel-Gaza war has killed 39,400 people and injured 90,996.
This follows a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that left 1,200 people dead.
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