ISTANBUL

Japan will accept injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment, marking the first time the country has extended such direct support to victims of Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave.

At least two injured individuals from Gaza are expected to arrive in Japan starting Wednesday, according to Kyodo News Agency.

The evacuation and treatment plan was organized in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the patients will be cared for at the Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital in Tokyo.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba confirmed last month that the government was exploring ways to offer medical assistance to Palestinians, including potential educational programs.

“We're making efforts to find ways to accept people in Japan who have fallen ill or been injured in Gaza,” Ishiba said during a parliamentary session, adding that Tokyo is also working on a special initiative for Palestinian students to study in Japanese universities.

The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18, killing nearly 800 people, injuring over 1,600 others, and shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas that took hold in January.

More than 50,100 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 113,700 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.