Does Israel’s Humanitarian Efforts in Gaza Know No Bounds?

August 15, 2014

3 min read

Before Operation Protective Edge ever began, Israel was quietly helping the Palestinians of the Gaza strip. Israel has continued  to provide electricity and water to Gaza, even though the Palestinians owe Israel billions of shekel’s in back fees. Israel has provided medical assistance to sick or injured Palestinians and has transferred food and aid to the Hamas run Strip.

Israel has been more than a benevolent neighbor and has acted as a lifesaver, keeping normal everyday life in Gaza humming.

Since the operation began, over 3,500 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Hamas has broken six of the seven ceasefire agreements and more than half of the Israeli population has come under attack.

One would expect that Israel would have ceased being such a nice neighbor. However, just the opposite is true.

Israel kept the flow of humanitarian aid and goods heading into Gaza open through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which remained open throughout the duration of the conflict in spite of coming under direct attack on numerous occasions.

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Israel set up a field hospital to treat wounded Palestinians who could not make it to the hospitals in Gaza. Israel allowed individuals to cross into Israel in the northern Erez Crossing from Gaza on a case by case basis. Israel even offered blood donations to hospitals in Gaza to alleviate their shortage, despite the fact that Israel is in dire need of those blood donations itself.

And now Israel is going even further. According to the Magen David Adom spokesperson, 18 wounded Palestinians were transferred from Gaza to Turkey via Ben Gurion Airport, as Hamas and the Palestinians have, in sporadic cases, begun refusing medical assistance from Israel. Turkey for its part is insisting that Palestinians be treated in Ankara, rather than in Israel.

Wounded from Gaza being transported by MDA to Ben Gurion Airport for transfer to Turkey. (Photo: Koby Gideon/ GPO)
Wounded from Gaza being transported by MDA to Ben Gurion Airport for transfer to Turkey. (Photo: Koby Gideon/ GPO)

In a statement made the MDA spokesperson’s office, it came to light just how far Israel is willing to go in order to alleviate any humanitarian issues. The statement said: “In the framework of the State of Israel’s humanitarian activity Magen David Adom is working on a continuing basis to transfer the sick and the wounded from the Gaza Strip to hospitals in Israel for medical treatment.”

“Additionally, on Wednesday afternoon, in full cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and the Turkish Red Crescent, MDA crews evacuated 18 wounded Palestinians (one in serious condition, four in moderate condition and 13 with minor injuries) as well as 16 escorts from the Erez Crossing to Ben-Gurion International Airport where they boarded a Turkish plane that took them for treatment at a hospital in Ankara.”

Turkish officials said they planned to bring in around 200 wounded Palestinians as a first step towards helping the wounded of Gaza. They also said that they would hold further talks with Israel and Egypt in an effort to get Israel to agree to allow Turkey to transport more Gaza wounded to Ankara.

Wounded from Gaza being transported by MDA to Ben Gurion Airport for transfer to Turkey. (Photo: Koby Gideon/ GPO)
Wounded from Gaza being transported by MDA to Ben Gurion Airport for transfer to Turkey. (Photo: Koby Gideon/ GPO)

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