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

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

Gaza received around 20, 000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine from the UAE on February 21. 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.