An airlift of 11 aircraft is delivering millions of items of essential medical equipment from China to Israel, including masks, protective gear, and ventilators.
The massive operation was a joint collaboration between the Directorate of Production and Procurement in the Israel Ministry of Defense, the ICL corporate and its representatives in China, and the Israeli Embassy in China.
The operation was launched some two weeks ago with procurement agreements, diplomatic efforts and logistical arrangements.
El Al’s Dreamliner 787 aircraft is on its way from Shanghai Airport carrying over 900,000 surgical masks, half a million protective suits for medical teams, and additional critical equipment that will land in Israel on Monday.
Additional equipment, including ventilators, will be delivered to Israel in the coming days.
El Al has adapted 11 Dreamliner aircraft to carry cargo for this purpose. El Al will operate two flights per day for a period of approximately one week until the operation is completed.
Israel has launched a global operation to procure medical equipment required for medical teams and hospitals fighting the spread of Coronavirus (COVIS-19). The Mossad espionage agency has taken point in leading the efforts.
Minister of Defense Naftali Bennett thanked the people of the Ministry of Defense and El Al, whom “we have sent to the other side of the world to bring life-saving equipment to Israel.”
“We are continuing to operate in full force, assessing every avenue in both local production and in the international arena,” he added.
El Al CEO Gonen Usishkin said that the company “considers the delivery of essential equipment to Israel as both an obligation and a privilege.”
CEO of ICL Corporate, Raviv Zoller noted that “ICL is first and foremost an Israeli company, and in times of emergency we are proud to invest our resources for the benefit of the state and to participate and assist in any way possible in the national effort against the Coronavirus. We have leveraged the excellent relations that we have developed in various regions in China, where we manage our factories. These relations enabled us to procure essential equipment.”
The Health Ministry updated Sunday night that the number of Israelis infected with the virus is recorded at 8,340. 139 are in serious condition, 182 are in moderate condition, and 546 have recovered.
49 Israeli have died of the virus, mostly elderly people with previous health issues.