Gaza War: UAE, WHO To Evacuate 148 Palestinians To Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), has announced an urgent initiative to evacuate 85 sick and severely injured Palestinians, including cancer patients in need of extensive treatment, and 63 family members to Abu Dhabi via the Karam Abu Salem crossing from Israel’s Ramon Airport.

This initiative was announced in a statement signed by the Head of the Economic, Political, Media, and Public Diplomacy Section at the UAE Embassy in Abuja, Mr Saif Thani Alktheeri, on behalf of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
is part of the UAE’s unwavering humanitarian commitment to the brotherly Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, demonstrating the urgent need for humanitarian intervention and reaffirming the UAE’s steadfast commitment to assisting the people of Gaza in the face of a catastrophic situation.

He stated, “The UAE’s various lines of communication continue to facilitate humanitarian efforts to assist the people of Gaza and extend a helping hand during their time of need.”

Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, was quoted as saying, “The importance of our mission to evacuate injured Palestinians to Abu Dhabi cannot be overstated at this critical time.”

“This unprecedented route reflects the gravity of the situation and our steadfast commitment to alleviating the suffering of the Gaza Strip’s people and ensuring the arrival and distribution of relief via all available means, including land, sea, and air.” This initiative demonstrates the UAE’s long-standing and historic support for the Palestinian people, guided by our unwavering commitment to providing immediate relief and promoting peace in the face of enormous adversity.”

She emphasised that, to date, the UAE has welcomed 709 Gaza patients and 787 of their family members for medical treatment. This is following His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, who has directed that 2,000 injured and cancer patients from Gaza receive medical care.

She went on to say: “This significant increase 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 on a large scale and through all possible means. We remain committed to working with international partners to ensure that our aid reaches those in desperate need.

“Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, said, “We are grateful to the UAE for supporting the evacuation of sick and injured people from Gaza to receive the urgent care they require.” We hope that this paves the way for the establishment of evacuation corridors through all possible routes, including the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings to Egypt and Jordan, and then to other countries. We also want evacuations to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be reinstated. Thousands of sick people suffer needlessly. Above all, and as usual, WHO calls for a cease-fire.

According to the statement, the UAE has provided more than 40,000 tonnes of critical aid, including food, relief, and medical supplies, via 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, carrying 5,340 tonnes of humanitarian supplies and the largest shipment since relief operations began.