Egypt will open an air bridge to send urgent medical aid to
Lebanon, the Egyptian ambassador said on Wednesday, a day after a blast in the
capital, Beirut, has reportedly killed at least 100 people and injured at least
4,000 others.
The newly-opened air bridge will carry the required medicine and medical supplies, a statement by the Egyptian Embassy in Lebanon said, quoting Ambassador Yusuf Allawi said.
Egypt will also send medical teams to participate in relief efforts, along with the efforts made by the Egyptian field hospital that is located in the Lebanese capital, the statement added.
This aid is sent by the Egyptian people, represented in the Egyptian government, the country’s top religious authority Al Azhar and a number of Egyptian civil society organizations, to their Lebanese brothers, the statement read.
“This is considered to be a precise reflection of the extent of official and popular Egyptian solidarity with the Lebanese brothers in their affliction, and an implementation of the Egyptian leadership’s decision to stand by the brotherly people of Lebanon, until they overcome this sorrowful disaster,” the statement added.
The Egyptian Embassy’s announcement to open an air bridge between Cairo and Beirut comes shortly after President Abdel Fattah El Sisi ordered urgently sending two planes carrying medical aid to Lebanon.
On Wednesday, Sisi offered his condolences to Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun over the death of dozens in the explosion, during a phone call, Sisi assured Aoun that Egypt stands by the side of Lebanon and is willing to offer any help for Beirut, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said.
Al-Azhar, Egypt’s top religious authority, said its Grand Imam is following up on updates after the deadly explosion and is calling on all states to assist the Arab country.
“In the face of this humanitarian disaster, Al Azhar voiced its full solidarity with Lebanon and is calling on all Arab, Islamic and world countries to show solidarity and urgently give a helping hand to Lebanon, to overcome this ordeal and its harsh repercussions,” Al Azhar said in a statement published on its Facebook page.
Source: Egypt Today
