SHAH ALAM - Japan is set to receive injured Palestinians from Gaza for medical care, marking the first instance of the country providing such direct assistance to victims of Israel’s war on the enclave.
According to Kyodo News Agency, two injured individuals from Gaza are expected to arrive in Japan starting Wednesday.
This evacuation and treatment initiative has been coordinated with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the patients will be cared for at the Self-Defence Forces Central Hospital in Tokyo.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had previously announced plans to explore medical aid for Palestinians, including educational support.
Speaking at a parliamentary session last month, he addressed the government's efforts to assist injured Palestinians.
"We're making efforts to find ways to accept people in Japan who have fallen ill or been injured in Gaza," he said.
He also stated that Tokyo was developing a programme for Palestinian students to pursue higher education at Japanese universities.
Israel launched an aerial assault on Gaza on March 18, resulting in nearly 800 fatalities and over 1,600 injuries.
The attack disrupted a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement established in January between Israel and Hamas.
Since Oct 2023, over 50,100 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been killed with more than 113,700 injured due to Israel’s mass-killing in Gaza.