Slovak government aircraft evacuates pediatric patient from Gaza to Belgium

A Slovak government special aircraft successfully evacuated a pediatric patient from the Gaza Strip to Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday. The patient was accompanied by five family members and was transported from Amman, Jordan, to Belgium as part of a European humanitarian mission.

The operation, titled ‘MEDEVAC from Gaza Strip’, is conducted under the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism using the EURACARE Flight & Shelter rescue module. This module provides medical and psychosocial care to evacuees and was established by the Slovak Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the Association of Samaritans of the Slovak Republic and Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe from Germany and Austria.

Since the beginning of 2024, this initiative has completed ten evacuation flights. In addition to Belgium, patients have been received in Ireland, Norway, Spain, France, Malta, and Turkey. The mission is carried out in coordination with relevant Palestinian authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO). Under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, 75 percent of the eligible mission expenses are reimbursed by the European Union.