(JNS.org) Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency services organization on July 15 offered to collect blood that would be sent to Gaza via the Palestinian Authority (PA). In response, the PA told the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which often acts as a conduit during times of crisis, “that it has all the blood it needs to assist Palestinians in Gaza and no additional support is needed at this time,” a spokesman for American Friends of Magen David Adom, MDA’s U.S.-based fundraising affiliate, told JNS.org.
The MDA spokesman said that the Palestinians did not outright refuse blood donations, as was previously reported. Further, the spokesman clarified that MDA “would not be giving up its own blood reserves for Gazans, rather it would help collect new donations.”
“MDA acknowledges the possibility that Israelis wouldn’t be warm to the idea of giving up part of their national blood reserves to benefit Gaza, but as a humanitarian and apolitical organization, MDA is abiding by its mission of, at least, offering to help save lives. Thus, the offer to collect new donations,” said the spokesman.
MDA Director Eli Bin described Israel’s attempt to collect blood for Palestinians as “a humanitarian gesture.”
“I believe in it—this brings us respect as human beings,” he told Israel Hayom.
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