COGAT delivers thousands of medical supplies to the Palestinians amid the battle to stop the spread of COVID-19 throughout the region; This follows several other deliveries in the last month.
On Wednesday, thousands of medical supplies including COVID-19 test kits and medical masks were delivered to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Gaza via Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). COGAT is a military unit that falls under Israel’s Defense Ministry. In total, the amount of supplies is reported to be 3,000 test kits and over 50,000 medical masks.
This delivery follows several others of the like throughout the last month. Earlier in March, COGAT delivered hundreds of test kits and one source claims that the kits were accompanied by approximately 20 tons of disinfectant/sanitization resources.
Last week, in a gathering with international officials, head of the coordinator’s civil affairs department, Colonel Sharon Biton stated that “COGAT and the PA are cooperating closely and effectively to manage the outbreak of the virus. The coronavirus, like other viruses, does not recognize geographic borders.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) originally delivered these supplies to the region and COGAT coordinated the delivery form Jordan, through Israel, to Gaza. Major General Kamil Abu Rukun of COGAT stated, “Once more, COGAT is cooperating closely with the World Health Organization to make assistance possible in the Palestinian Authority’s struggle against the coronavirus outbreak. I commend the teamwork of the international organizations in this important shared endeavor, I wish steady good health to all the residents of the region, and I hope that we will continue to work together in the fight to halt the spread of this dangerous virus.”
