Claim of smuggling Palestinian political activist Amin Abed out of the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing and then transferred him to the Emirates via Ben Gurion Airport by the Israeli army has spread on social media.
Kashif verified the claim and found it to be misleading. Kashif contacted political activist Amin Abed, who confirmed this information is misleading, and that he had moved to the UAE for treatment in coordination with the World Health Organization, alongside 250 injured people and their families, under the supervision of the UAE’s “Noble Knight 3” operation.
“We stayed overnight at the European Hospital in Khan Younis under the supervision of the World Health Organization before we set off on buses on Wednesday morning, 11 September 2024, to the Kerem Shalom crossing, from there to Ramon Airport, and then to the United Arab Emirates,” Abed said, adding that he left the Gaza Strip accompanied by Khaled Al-Malfouh.
WHO Communications and Outreach Officer, Nour Saeed, told Kashif that the organization coordinated the exit of 252 people, including patients, injured persons, and companions, from the Gaza Strip for treatment in the Emirates via the Kerem Shalom crossing, and from there to Ramon Airport, and then to the United Arab Emirates.
While the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, explained via a tweet on “X”, Thursday, 12 September 2024, that “97 sick and seriously injured patients and 155 companions from Gaza in the largest medical evacuation operation since October 2023”.
Kashif’s team also looked into the official account of “Operation Noble Knight 3” for the Gaza Strip and found that it had published a video clip documenting the evacuation of the wounded from the Gaza Strip, including activist Amin Abed, who appeared speaking in the video.
Political activist Amin Abed explained to Kashif that he was physically assaulted on 9 July 2024 by a number of masked men near his home in Jabalia camp, north of Gaza, which resulted in severe fractures all over his body that required several surgeries.
Abed stayed in Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza for about 20 days, then moved to the southern Gaza Strip, coordinated by the World Health Organization, for treatment at the International Medical Corps Hospital (the American Hospital) until his travel date on Wednesday, 11 September 2024.
The World Health Organization stated in a statement published today, Thursday, 12 September 2024, that at least 22,500 of the injured in Gaza by July 23 were suffering from life-changing injuries.
| Sources of the claim | Verification sources |
Mahmoud Abu Zarad | Political activist Amin Abed WHO Communications and Outreach Officer Nour Saeed WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Operation Gallant Knight 3 – Gaza Strip World Health Organization |
