VIDEO The journey of injured children from Gaza to Romania. The Wall Street Journal publishes a documentary about Romania's efforts to support and integrate the Palestinians
Children from Gaza affected by the conflict will receive medical treatment in Romania (Photo: Gov.ro)
While some countries in Europe refused to take wounded people from Gaza, Romania took action and used its own military planes to transport patients not only to our country, but also to other European countries, says the Wall Street Journal in a documentary published Thursday evening.
The American newspaper, based in New York, followed the cases of several families from Gaza who were evacuated after the children were injured, and after receiving medical support they remained in Romania where they are receiving integration counseling. The documentary emphasizes that Romania chose not only to support the injured children, but also to evacuate their companions where possible.
Some of the evacuees say that when they were told that they would go to Romania, they answered – “What is Romania”, but now they live in this country and hope to be able to bring their relatives left behind.
How many Palestinians arrived in Romania
The Wall Street Journal points out that Romania is walking a very thin “diplomatic wire” in these efforts, and the country has old diplomatic relations with both Israel and Palestine. The journalists even offer the example of Raed Arafat, a Palestinian who came to Romania in the 80s to study medicine and who now coordinates the missions to bring the wounded from Gaza.
“Since September 30, 2024, we have carried out 10 missions and brought 108 patients and 271 companions. Of these, we have kept 52 patients and 136 companions in Romania. They are aware that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean and it is not enough,” Raed Arafat, coordinator of the Department of Emergency Situations, told the WSJ.
As of July 2024, 3,000 patients have also been evacuated to Gaza, while 16,000 are waiting to receive this aid.
Integration in Romania
The documentary also features Fawzia Rehejeh, who runs an organization that helps women evacuated from Gaza to get used to the new life in Romania. Fawzia is Syrian and moved to Romania in 2015.
“When we look from the outside, we see that they have just been evacuated from Gaza as if the whole problem is solved. No, now the problem really starts,” explains Fawzia Rehejed.
The full documentary can be watched below:
