This is the second mission of this type. Last week, Spain welcomed 16 Gazan patients who required medical treatment.
Belgium has received to four children from Gaza who were evacuated to receive medical treatment abroad. This is the second mission of this type, carried out by the European Unionthe World Health Organization, Egypt and the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF).
Many Palestinian children between 6 and 10 years old need treatment for diseases such as cancer and four of them arrived in Belgium this Monday accompanied by their families. In total, the Belgian authorities have counted on 12 people for this medical evacuation mission.
“These patients were evacuated by the PCRF before the closure of the border crossing between Rafah and Egyptwhich we used as a shelter, and then they were transported to Belgium,” said Tareq Hailat, coordinator of the Palestinian Children’s Aid Fund.
“As you can see, it is not an easy journey. They are patients who have lost everything. They have lost their homes. They have lost their loved ones. Therefore, it is important that they feel comfortable while we take them to another place,” he added.
A paid trip to several countries
While Belgium is taking care of these children, the transport has been done in a slovak medical plane. Last week, Spain welcomed 16 Palestinian children accompanied by their families.
“Each country chooses the patients it welcomes according to the criteria it considers the best. For example, Spain has welcomed patients with orthopedic problemschronic diseases and heart problems, while Belgium has focused on cancer patients,” Hailat said.
Patients will remain in Europe until your treatment ends and until it occurs a ceasefire in Gaza. For the moment, the NGO remains hopeful that other countries in the European Union will open their doors to more children.
