Welcomed by Dr. Al Khatib: The Staff of the Moroccan Field Hospital Start Their Mission in the Gaza Strip

(Gaza - 25/11/2012): The Moroccan Field Hospital, whose crew and equipment arrived in the Gaza Strip on the 22nd of November, received today its first victims of the latest Israeli attack, providing services to tens of them on its first day. This 120-bed hospital, one of the largest field hospitals operating in the Strip, is run by 100 doctors, nurses and administrative staff.

Dr. Younis Al Khatib, PRCS President, chaired the PRCS delegation which welcomed the Moroccan crew in Al Arish. In his welcome address, Dr. Al Khatib lauded the efforts of the King, Government and people of Morocco. He conveyed to them the gratitude and thanks of President Abbas for the humanitarian support provided by Morocco who has always supported the Palestinian cause and stood by Palestinians in their struggle for freedom and independence. “Morocco, thanks to the efforts of its king and government, has played a major role and provided great humanitarian and material support to Palestinians in general and to the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip in particular during the Israeli attack back in 2008/2009. A grant from His Majesty King Mohamad the Sixth allowed the reconstruction of PRCS’ Al Quds hospital in Gaza following that aggression. Allow me to laude the efforts of the Moroccan medical teams who will run this hospital and help heal the wounds of many Palestinians”, he said.

Dr. Hassan Al Ismaili, who chairs the Moroccan medical delegation, thanked PRCS for its warm welcome. He conveyed the greetings of the King, Government and people of Morocco to President Abbas and to Palestinians in general. “PRCS has made relentless efforts to overcome the health-related challenges resulting from this latest Israeli attack against the Gaza Strip. Our medical delegation and field hospital shall do their utmost to help heal the wounds of victims and to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip”, Dr. Al Ismaili said.

In the same vein, Dr. Al Khatib, who has personally supervised his Society’s field work in the Strip, had received several Arab medical delegations from Egypt, Sudan and Algeria. He also met with the Egyptian Undersecretary of Health in Al Arish (Egypt). Moreover, he visited injured Palestinians in Al Arish whose injuries reflect the horrific crimes committed by Israeli forces in the Strip. He also visited Al Shifa’ Public Hospital in Gaza where he met with injured Palestinians and was briefed by hospital officials on the hospital’s medical needs.

It is to be noted that more than 200 volunteers joined PRCS’ Emergency Medical Services as soon as the Society declared a state of emergency following the latest Israeli attack in order to assist the Society in its emergency medical work and relief operations.