Ramallah, 14 September 2023 (TDI): The State of Palestine’s swift response and intervention team, led by the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency, have traveled to Libya in response to the urgent need for rescue and relief efforts.
Their mission is to assist in rescue operations, locating survivors, and providing aid in the aftermath of severe floods and torrents that have affected eastern Libya.
The team’s departure, under the guidance of President Mahmoud Abbas and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, signifies the Palestinian people’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Libyan population during the aftermath of Hurricane Daniel.
Ambassador Ahmad Al-Deek, political advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, highlighted the importance of this mission.
Comprising 37 members from various sectors, including the Civil Defense, the Ministry of Health, and the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency (PICA), this team will collaborate with Libyan and international rescue teams in a challenging rescue and relief operation.
The Palestinian intervention team brings extensive experience gained from participating in rescue operations across the world.
Given the highly perilous conditions in hurricane-affected regions, their mission is undeniably demanding.
Dozens of Palestinian families are still missing, and the Palestinian community has already suffered a loss of 23 lives.
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Ambassador Al-Deek expressed hope that some of the missing families will be found alive.
To address the pressing situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a crisis cell to monitor the well-being of the Palestinian community in Libya and to initiate search and rescue operations to locate missing families.
Director of International Relations at the Civil Defense, Odeh Younis, noted that the participating team from the Civil Defense specializes in water rescue operations, particularly in disaster scenarios caused by hurricanes and floods.
Their mission is slated for one week, with the possibility of extension based on the evolving needs of Libya.
