Glasgow student driving ambulance to Rafah border to help civilians in Gaza

GLASGOW, UK, 14 March 2024 - A Glasgow student is planning to drive an ambulance to Gaza to help civilians affected by the war.

Umran Ali Javaid bought the ambulance in January and has just received approval from Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) in Israel.  He will set off for the Rafah border and hand over the ambulance to the UN agency UNRWA which is the largest humanitarian organisation working inside Gaza.

Umran has previously delivered 40 second hand ambulances to various conflict zones including driving an ambulance to a small hospital in Ukraine in September.

The masters student in International Tourism and Event Management said: "During war innocent civilians, especially children, need help and the ambulance can transport those that are injured and infants as it is equipped with a neo-natal ventilator."

Various paperwork had to be submitted before the ambulance can cross the border into Gaza which includes COGAT in Israel and the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Umran plans to drive from Glasgow next week and catch a ferry from Dover to France, travelling through Europe into Turkey and then getting a ship to Al Arish port in Egypt where he will drive to the Rafah border. He has used the route before the current war to get aid into Gaza.

He also welcomes the news of a new shipping route starting soon from Cyprus to Gaza to help bring in humanitarian aid.

Umran added: "Innocent civilians are always the first to be impacted by the horrors of war. It's heartbreaking to see what is going on in the region.

"British ambulances are really well-quipped to help patients needing immediate medical support and right now hospitals and aid agencies need a lot of help to assist civilians.

"That said, one ambulance can only help a few hundred people in the coming months which is a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed."

ENDS