Palestinian families arrived at the airport in Abu Dhabi on November 7, 2024, after being evacuated from the Gaza Strip for medical care, according to AFP.
Israel and the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that over 200 Gazans, including patients and their caregivers, were transported to the United Arab Emirates or Romania on Wednesday for medical treatment. The total number of evacuees was approximately 230, as stated by the WHO and COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civil affairs in the Palestinian territories.
"This marks the largest group of patients and caregivers to exit through the Kerem Shalom crossing in recent months," COGAT noted in a statement. The operation was conducted in collaboration with the UAE, the European Union, and the WHO.
The WHO detailed that the patients included individuals with autoimmune diseases, blood diseases, cancer, kidney conditions, and trauma injuries. They were transported from Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Israel, then onward to Ramon Airport near Eilat in southern Israel.
Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO's representative in the Palestinian territories, had mentioned on Tuesday that those evacuated were among up to 14,000 people currently awaiting evacuation for medical reasons in Gaza. The conflict, sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant casualties on both sides, with over 1,200 deaths in Israel and 43,391 in Gaza, according to respective official figures.
Peeperkorn also highlighted that fewer than 5,000 people had been granted medical evacuations from Gaza since the war began.
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