Norway to accept, treat injured Palestinians from Gaza
Date
6/27/2024 9:50:26 AM
(MENAFN) Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced on Thursday that Norway will accept and treat injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, responding to the urgent medical needs amid the ongoing conflict. This decision aligns Norway with international efforts to assist Palestinians requiring critical hospital treatment, as reported by local media outlet VG.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union have highlighted the dire need for medical evacuation, estimating that 9,000 Palestinians will need urgent medical evacuation by the end of 2024 due to the severe Israeli offensive on Gaza. In addition to accepting patients, Norway will also contribute to aircraft transporting Palestinian patients to other countries, enhancing the overall capacity to provide medical aid.
Prime Minister Store explained, “In this way, we can contribute to helping many more people than we have the capacity to bring to Norway for treatment.” The Norwegian government has decided to fly up to 20 patients with relatives from Gaza to Norway for treatment in Norwegian hospitals.
Store emphasized that the medical evacuation efforts from Gaza must align with ongoing support for Ukraine, ensuring a balanced approach to international humanitarian aid. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The health system has collapsed. Therefore, the most important thing Norway can do is to support the health and humanitarian work in Gaza and the surrounding areas, for example by strengthening the hospitals,” he stated.
The healthcare system in Gaza has been on the brink of collapse for some time. Last month, Norway officially recognized Palestine as a state, reinforcing its commitment to supporting Palestinian health and humanitarian needs. As of December last year, health organizations and the UN had already warned of the deteriorating healthcare infrastructure in Gaza. Currently, only 12 of Gaza's 36 hospitals are partially operational.
The conflict has led to tragic losses, with more than 37,700 Palestinians killed, the majority being women and children, and over 86,400 others injured, according to local health authorities. Norway's decision to accept and treat injured Palestinians is a significant step in addressing the critical health crisis faced by the people of Gaza.
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