GAZA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2021) The Palestinian Authority (PA) has declined a batch of 90,000 Pfizer coronavirus vaccines supplied by Israel due to the closing expiration date, Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said on Friday.
"After the Health Ministry checked the first batch of vaccines, the government decided to turn down the deal with the Israeli side and return the first batch of 90,000 doses of vaccines that we received today. The Prime Minister refused to receive vaccines that are about to expire," the minister explained.
Government spokesman Ibrahim Milhim confirmed at a press conference that the PA expects vaccine shipments directly from Pfizer according to the agreement.
Earlier in the day, Israeli authorities announced that they will donate some 1.4 million doses of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to Palestine. In the official statement, the government mentioned that it will transfer vaccine that is about to expire. In exchange for Israel sending vaccines to the PA, Pfizer will redirect the shipment scheduled to be delivered to Palestine in the first quarter of 2022 to Israel this fall, the statement added.
