Israel began a humanitarian operation to evacuate Gazan patients, including children, through the Kerem Shalom crossing and the Ramon airport for medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates, the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced on Tuesday.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant helped to direct the humanitarian mission, in partnership with the World Health Organization and under the leadership of the UAE, which saw 148 sick or injured patients leave Gaza for treatment. Many of those evacuated were children, and so their guardians were evacuated alongside them.
To ensure the safety and well-being of those evacuated, medical personnel were available throughout every stage of the evacuation and significant security measures were installed to ensure the safety of those leaving Gaza.
Each of those evacuated, and their guardians, underwent security assessments to circumvent the risk posed by Hamas.
An extremely complex operation
"This extremely complex joint evacuation was supported by the [United Arab Emirates], WHO, and partners. It is the largest medical evacuation since October 2023," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization, posted on X.
The evacuated patients suffered from various severe conditions including cancer, neurological issues and cardiac diseases. They were accompanied by 63 family members and caregivers, Ghebreyesus added.
COGAT reiterated that throughout the war, as shown by this latest humanitarian project, it distinguished between the Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the terrorists who run the enclave. While continuing the war against Hamas, Israel has taken significant measures to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza and that Hamas is not given the opportunity to hoard aid.
In addition to this evacuation, and the 2500 humanitarian aid trucks facilitated into Gaza, Israel has facilitated 14 field hospitals in Gaza to provide critical medical intervention to tens of thousands of Palestinians.