White Helmets evacuated from Syria to Israel: Report

Members of a Western-backed "aid group" accused of working with Takfiri militants and staging false flag gas attacks in Syria have reportedly been evacuated to an Israeli military base.

The Israeli military said Sunday on Twitter that Israeli forces had evacuated “members of a Syrian civil organization and their families” at the request of the United States and “additional European countries.”

It did not specify the group, but German tabloid Bild said some 800 members of the White Helmets had been expected to be brought to Jordan through Israel to be reportedly resettled later in the UK, Canada, and Germany.

“The evacuation kicked off at 9:30 pm local time on Saturday and was expected to continue into the night. Several roads were put on lockdown by the army and police as part of preparations for the exodus,” Russia Today said of the development.

The Israeli military said the “civilians” were being taken out of Syria “due to an immediate threat to their lives,” and because Israel wanted to make “an exceptional humanitarian gesture.”

Admitting to the operation later on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the operation was an "important humanitarian step," adding that he ordered it after requests from US President Donald Trump and Canadian premier Justin Trudeau.

Syria is reportedly about to prosecute the self-styled relief workers over reports of their involvement with the militants and the gas attacks.

The US, the UK, and France have launched many missile strikes against the Syrian territory, accusing Damascus of deploying such weapons. The Syrian government has surrendered its chemical arms stockpiles during a procedure overseen by the United Nations’ chemical watchdog.

Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Mohammad al-Kayed said Amman had accepted to take in the White Helmets after Britain, Canada and Germany each reportedly pledged to take some of them each, Amman-based Ammon News said.

The news about the Israeli involvement came amid Tel Aviv’s ongoing provision of assistance to the militants fighting the Syrian government.

'Israel to continue treating injured Syria militants’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will continue to treat wounded Syrian militants.

The regime has been treating the militants fleeing into Syria’s Golan Heights, which Israel has been occupying since 1967. It claims that it provides such services to all those, who are present on “its territory.”

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk