A flight with more than 170 mostly cancer-stricken Palestinian patients and their family members reached Abu Dhabi on Monday, a government official said.
The Etihad Airways flight, flying in mostly cancer patients, landed at the Abu Dhabi International Airport from Egypt’s Al Arish International Airport.
“There are more than 90 patients. Most of them are elderly and suffer from cancer. Some of them also have trauma issues. Most of them are in stable condition, and only a few required wheelchairs or stretchers for transportation,” a medical expert accompanying the patients from Egypt told Khaleej Times. “These patients are accompanied by about 80 to 90 family members and relatives.”
These war-affected individuals crossed the Rafah Border during the four-day temporary truce between Israel and Hamas. There was a great sense of relief on the faces of Palestinians, who received a warm welcome from the officials and staff on the ground. Emirati officials comforted the elderly patients, who seemed lost for words to describe their state of affairs.
This comes as part of the initiative announced this month by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to fly in 1,000 Palestinian cancer patients for treatment in UAE hospitals. Also, the UAE President directed providing medical care to 1,000 Palestinian children and their families from the Gaza Strip at hospitals in the country.
Subsequently, on November 18, more than 50 passengers, including the wounded individuals, medical staff, and top officials, landed in Abu Dhabi. Since then, the humanitarian mission to evacuate injured individuals, especially children and women, has continued with a sense of urgency amid the escalating Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
The latest flight with cancer patients has been achieved in an operation lasting two days. The UAE team of medical experts and officials left for the Egyptian city of Al Arish on Sunday.