Gaza children at the heart of the UAE.. A Humanitarian bridge to “alleviate great pains”
Continuous Emirati efforts have been underway since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza, especially children, in the midst of the tragic conditions prevailing in the region.
The diligent Emirati initiatives, which began immediately with the outbreak of the war, have been multi-faceted, encompassing humanitarian and health aspects. They focused on the most vulnerable groups, particularly children, who constitute nearly half of the population of the Gaza Strip, as well as cancer patients.
These initiatives embody the UAE’s approach and its historical commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and alleviating the severity of the humanitarian crisis they face. They also align with the solid fraternal positions of the UAE towards the Palestinian brothers.
In early November 2023, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, directed the hosting of a thousand Palestinian children along with their families from the Gaza Strip. They were to receive all types of medical and health care needed in UAE hospitals until their recovery and return.
Additionally, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan directed the hosting of a thousand Palestinians suffering from cancer from various age groups in Gaza on the morning of November 18, 2023. They were to receive treatments and all types of healthcare needed in UAE hospitals.
First Batch: 15 Children and their families
On November 18, the first plane carrying 15 individuals, including children and their families, arrived in Abu Dhabi as part of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan‘s initiative to treat a thousand Palestinian children with their families from the Gaza Strip in UAE hospitals. The plane, coming from El Arish Airport in Egypt, carried children in desperate need of medical assistance, suffering from severe injuries and burns, as well as cancer patients requiring urgent treatment.
Maha Barkat, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Health in the UAE, affirmed that all medical and health teams and hospitals in the UAE were fully prepared to receive the remaining children and their families. They would provide comprehensive and integrated care for their treatment, delivering the best specialized services according to international standards until their recovery.
Second Batch: Continuous support
On November 21, the second batch of children from Gaza arrived at Abu Dhabi Airport en route to UAE hospitals, just three days after the first batch entered UAE territory. In the early hours of Tuesday, the second phase began to transport the wounded children from the Gaza Strip to Abu Dhabi Airport, heading to UAE hospitals for treatment and healthcare, less than 72 hours after transporting the first batch of children and their families to Abu Dhabi Airport.
Third Batch: 93 Injured and patients, 80 accompanying
On November 27, the third batch of injured Palestinian children and cancer patients arrived in Abu Dhabi in accordance with the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The plane, coming from El Arish Airport in Egypt, carried 93 children in urgent need of medical assistance, suffering from severe injuries and burns, along with cancer patients in need of prompt treatment. It also carried 80 accompanying family members.
Maha Barkat stated that this third trip translates the feelings of goodwill that the people of the UAE harbor for their Palestinian brothers. It is an attempt to provide support to the most needy groups and to the medical sector suffering in the Gaza Strip.
Fourth Batch: 77 Injured and patients, 43 accompanying
On December 3, the fourth batch of injured Palestinian children and cancer patients arrived in accordance with the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to treat 1000 Palestinian children with injuries and 1000 cancer patients from the Gaza Strip in UAE hospitals. The plane, coming from El Arish Airport in Egypt, carried 77 individuals in need of medical care, in addition to 43 accompanying family members.
The hospitals in the UAE will provide the highest levels of healthcare to the injured and cancer patients. This humanitarian support will continue to alleviate the burden on the Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip living in tragic humanitarian conditions.
Fifth Batch: UAE continues to receive Gaza’s wounded
On December 8, the fifth batch of injured and sick children from Gaza arrived in the United Arab Emirates to receive treatment. An Emirati medical team arrived in the Egyptian city of El Arish to evacuate the fifth batch of the wounded from Gaza, in accordance with the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates.
