Italy receives 11 Palestinian children from Gaza who will be treated in centers such as the Pope's hospital

The first 11 children injured during the bombings in the Gaza Strip arrived this Monday at 9:30 p.m. at the Ciampino military airport to be treated in several pediatric hospitals in Italy, among which is the Pope 'Bambin Gesù hospital. '

Italy has thus become the first European country to launch an international rescue operation for victims of the Gaza war. According to local media, the first 11 children from the Gaza Strip arrived at the military airport. from Rome after having crossed the border with Egypt and from where they were embarked on Italian Army planes, bound for the Roman airport of Ciampino.

In addition to the Pope's pediatric hospital, the minors will be transferred to the Gaslini hospital in Genoa, the Rizzoli in Bologna and the Meyer in Florence.

This initiative has been supported by the vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, Father Ibrahim Faltas, who explained in statements to the newspaper 'L'Osservatore Romano' that the channels with "the Italian government structures" have been "immediately activated" and that the proposal "immediately received enthusiastic approval. This is "an intense mediation activity in which Israelis, Palestinians and Egyptians participated," said Faltas.

"Italy is the first country in Europe to take in children from Gaza who otherwise could not receive treatment. Italy has always been close to this cause, we asked them and they accepted. When the children are truly cured, they will be able to return to their country ", he indicated.

Upon arrival at Ciampino airport, the minors were received by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani. "We have worked intensively with the Israeli authorities, with the Palestinian national authorities and with the Egyptian authorities. We concluded the negotiations on Thursday in Israel. It is a commitment that we have assumed," he declared

Font: Europa Press