IDF lets blood units brought aboard Lebanese ship into Gaza
Magen David Adom Blood Bank team transports 1,100 blood units to Strip. Medical supplies found on Lebanese ship stopped by Israeli Navy after trying to sneak into Gaza waters
The IDF has transferred 1,100 blood units into the Gaza Strip Friday, via the Erez crossing.
The blood was brought aboard the Lebanese aid ship which was detained by the Israel Navy off the Strip's coast Thursday. The units were transferred into Gaza by Magen David Adom blood Bank teams.
Head of the Blood Bank Prof. Ayelet Shenhar said that "the ship was carrying 1,100 frozen (blood) units.
Magen David Adom was asked to assist in transferring them to the Erez crossing. A Blood Bank team was sent to the Ashdod Port and transported the blood in special containers, meant to keep the units at a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius (-68 Fahrenheit) to the crossing."
Shenhar could not say if the was a blood shortage in the Strip's hospitals during the Israeli offensive in Gaza, since "MDA was not contacted on the matter. As far as I know Jordan sent blood to Gaza and there was no need for the Israeli Blood Bank to do the same. The Palestinians refused to receive blood units from us.
"Blood is a vital (medical) resource and the goal was to get it to the Gaza hospital," she added. "I'm happy that it worked out."
Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
