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European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
  • News article
  • 1 October 2024
  • Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
  • 1 min read

The EU facilitates a new medical evacuation operation, the first directly from Gaza

Health carers taking care of young patients inside an airport.
© Department of Emergency Management (DSU), Romania

Yesterday, the EU coordinated the first medical evacuation operation directly from Gaza, transferring 8 patients in need of urgent care and 24 accompanying family members to Romania.

This is the 5th operation under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, following the activation of the Mechanism by the World Health Organization (WHO) to medically evacuate Palestinian patients from Gaza to Europe.

The operation was conducted in close cooperation with Romania, the WHO and the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories of Israel (COGAT). 

Patients were transported safely to hospitals in Bucharest, where they will receive the necessary medical care. So far, 45 severely ill patients have been evacuated through the Mechanism to Spain, Belgium and Italy. 

The EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre continues to coordinate with Member States and remains committed to further medical evacuations.