Egyptian officials are working to bring 36 newborn babies from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza to Egypt, according to the country's health minister.
The health ministry is trying to coordinate the transfer with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said Tuesday.
“We've been asked to receive 36 newly-born neonates in incubators,” Abdel Ghaffar said, adding that he is working with his team and other officials to get them into Egypt "as soon as possible."
"I have 36 ambulances equipped with portable ventilators waiting on the border to receive those kids … (and) get them immediately to our hospitals," Abdel Ghaffar said.
The health minister said the transfer itself would be dangerous and having movable incubators ready in the ambulances is critical. He said was told by the PRCS that it was attempting to put three babies in one incubator “because they don’t have that much source of energy to support.”
"We have to be ready to take them immediately,” Abdel Ghaffar told CNN. “Time is important and every single minute we’re not getting them in, the chances of losing their lives are very high."
The minister said Egypt’s Red Crescent was ready at the Rafah border crossing to receive the babies.