B-FAST provides emergency medical assistance to children from Gaza

Following a request for assistance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and via the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), Belgium, through B-FAST, responded positively to the request for medical care for patients. Since the beginning of the crisis in the Middle East and the identification of medical evacuation needs, Belgium has supported the initiative of European coordination in the field of medical evacuation. Today's operation is a good example of this.

As such, a few young patients from Gaza who are currently in Egypt, along with their companions, will be evacuated to Belgium. There, they will be taken care of by Belgian healthcare facilities. Transport will be provided by Slovakia within the framework of the coordination by the European Union, which once again plays a key role in the organisation of such an emergency aid operation. This mission is also carried out in partnership with the Egyptian authorities.

To support this operation, B-FAST has sent two people from the FPS Public Health and the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation on site for a few days to facilitate coordination with local healthcare services and authorities.

This mission is part of a continuing series of B-FAST operations in the region. These are mainly donations that have taken place or are taking place as part of the crisis in the Middle East, to relieve the urgent needs of civilians in Gaza or who have left Gaza. This operation is being carried out in close collaboration with the National Crisis Centre, the Office of the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration and her departments.

B-FAST is the structure of the federal government that is activated when providing emergency aid abroad and consists of the FPS Home Affairs, the FPS Policy and Support (BOSA), the FPS Public Health, Defence and the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, in which the Prime Minister's Office is also involved.