Palestinians praise UAE's move to provide COVID-19 vaccine to Gaza

Many Palestinians have commended the UAE's move to provide the coronavirus vaccine to the Gaza Strip, in light of the long-imposed blockade that hinder the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines into the Strip.

Palestinian human rights activist Khalil Abu Shamala said that Gaza Strip is witnessing a deterioration in the health sector, and over the past months, "the sector has faced great difficulties in facing the spread of the coronavirus."

He stressed that the vaccine delivered from the UAE at this critical time strengthens the work of medical teams and the Ministry of Health and enabled them to deal with emergency cases.

"As far as we know, this is the first batch of vaccines, and the UAE will send other batches to Gaza Strip," he added.

Abu Shamala praised the UAE's initiative and efforts to support the Palestinian health sector, specifically in light of the siege and severe deprivation in the Strip.

For his part, Salah Abdel Aty, Head of the International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights, expressed his thanks to the UAE for the medical supplies it has provided at this crucial time.

 UAE will send more batches of vaccines to Gaza Strip. 

Speaking to WAM, he called on the international community to provide all necessary assistance to the residents of Gaza Strip to confront the coronavirus pandemic and "reinforce the dilapidated health sector," and to follow the UAE's model in supporting the health sector and protect the Palestinian people from this pandemic.

Political analyst Nidal Khadra said that providing vaccinations is an important initiative that was preceded by various medical aid from the UAE. He explained that the UAE has always been and still proactive in supporting the Palestinian people.

Dr. Nabil Al Katri, leader in the Democratic Reform Party in Fatah movement, said that the delivery of vaccines to Gaza comes as part of the national responsibility to rescue the besieged people in the Strip.

He also stated that the vaccines’ delivery is part of a series of achievements made by the reform party in the Fatah movement represented in the aid delivered from the UAE to enhance the health sector in Gaza.