GAZA CITY — The United Arab Emirates has sent a second shipment of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine to the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Health Ministry received the shipment of 38,700 doses through the Rafah Border Crossing last Thursday evening.

In a press release, the ministry expressed its thanks and gratitude to the UAE for this assistance, which strengthens health measures in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Gaza Strip. The ministry appreciated the role of everyone who contributed to facilitating the arrival of this shipment to the Gaza Strip.

Gaza received 20,000 Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine doses from the UAE in February.

The medical aid comes within the framework of the UAE's continued commitment to support the Palestinian people and enhance the efforts of medical personnel to combat the pandemic. The UAE also sent three medical aid aircraft carrying 36.6 tonnes in addition to 10,000 COVID-19 test kits and 10 respirators, to benefit 36,006 medical personnel.

In early 2021, the UAE also send 808 tons of relief assistance to 10,000 underprivileged families in the Gaza Strip.

The total assistance provided by the UAE to Palestine from 2010 to date is worth $1.14 billion, of which $254 million is for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The UAE is one of the largest aid donors and financiers of the UNRWA projects in the Palestinian territories. — WAM