Italy Protagonist in Humanitarian Operations: Evacuation of Palestinian Children from Gaza

In recent days, Another group of sick Palestinian children has been transferred to Italy from Gaza thanks to humanitarian operations organized by the Italian Civil Protection, in coordination with the Israeli authorities and the WHO. The evacuations, which took place on March 19 and 20, they brought the little patients and their families to specialized hospitals, confirming Italy as a leader in welcoming and caring for minors in difficulty.

In recent days, other groups of sick Palestinian children have been transferred from Gaza to Italy, evacuated from health facilities in Gaza that were no longer able to care for them. The operations concluded on March 19 and 20.

The first transfer, organized, in coordination with the Israeli authorities as part of the collaboration with the WHO, involved the evacuation of 10 patients and their families, for a total of 27 people. The exit from Gaza was realized yesterday, March 19th through the Kerem Shalom crossing, with subsequent transfer to Ramon (Eilat) managed by WHO and the Israeli authorities. From there, an Air Force Boeing KC-767 picked up the patients for arrival in Italy.

The second operation, made today, has foreseen the departure from Cairo of 8 patients and relatives, for a total of 20 people. The patients, evacuated in recent days from Gaza with the support of the WHO, were hospitalized at the Italian Umberto I Hospital in EgyptThe transfer to Italy took place on a flight made available by the Guardia di Finanza.

Both evacuations were coordinated by the Civil Protection (which also deals with the subsequent assignment of patients to Italian hospitals) with theFarnesina Crisis Unit, In collaboration with the Joint Operations Command of the Ministry of Defense.

With these two humanitarian operations, Italy confirms itself as the fourth country in the world and the first in the West to have organized the evacuation and transfer to specialized hospitals of Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip. To date, 107 minors and their families (for a total of 286 people) have been treated in Italian facilities.