A source familiar with the situation said 17 of the 20 US doctors stuck in Gaza went with the doctor credited with saving the life of Senator Tammy Duckworth.
According to the source, the 17 humanitarian aid volunteers were received by US officials at the Kerem Shalom crossing on the Israeli border after the US Embassy in Jerusalem assisted their safe passage.
Dr. Adam Hamawy Credited with saving Duckworth’s lifeD-Ill., was among three U.S. doctors left behind when he served in the Iraq war 20 years ago, the source said.
The doctors all left after being forced out of Gaza by Israel closure of border crossings On the eve of Israel’s full-scale occupation of the city of Rafah. Earlier in the week, Israeli officials said they had reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is critical for humanitarian aid.
Dr. ICU specialist who went from Detroit to Gaza to volunteer. Ammar Ghanem said earlier in the day that a group of American medical volunteers had left Gaza through the crossing on Friday. Apparently, this group was organized by those 17 doctors.
“We have been in close contact with the groups that these US doctors are a part of and we have been in contact with the families of these US citizens,” a State Department spokeswoman said in response to questions about the departures.
The three doctors who decided to stay on know the US embassy will not be able to facilitate their departure as it did on Friday, the source said, calling it an “extremely unique operation”.
President Joe Biden said amid concerns about civilian casualties It will not provide Israel with certain weapons and artillery shells if it launches a ground attack on Rafah, where millions of Palestinians are sheltering. High-level administration officials said this earlier The US has stopped shipping to Israel from certain offensive weapons.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to CNBC and acknowledged his disagreement with Biden over the plan. the operation was progressing rapidly anyway and it will be completed in a few weeks.
Meanwhile, the United States has built a floating jetty to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza by truck. Shipments have been set in motion Friday morning. This was reported by the US Central Command.
Duckworth works remove it safely Hamawy From GazaIt was attacked by Israel after a surprise invasion by Hamas militants on October 7. This attack led Israel to declare war on the armed group based in Gaza.
In interview earlier this weekA former army combat surgeon said there was much work to be done in Gaza.
“We are doing everything we can to continue the mission we are here for – to take care of the people in Gaza, the wounded and the sick,” he said.
Raf Sanchez, Dennis Romero and Associated Press contributed.