Summary

  • The UAE has flown in the first group of injured Palestinian women and children from Gaza to provide them with medical support.
  • The injured patients will receive treatment at hospitals in the UAE, with more arrivals expected in the coming days.
  • The UAE has committed $20 million in aid to Gaza and has sent over 50 aircraft loaded with 1,400 tonnes of food and medical supplies.


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Egyptian carrier Nesma Airlines has flown in the UAE’s first contingent of injured Palestinian women and children. The UAE will provide medical support for up to 1,000 children and their families affected by the Israel-Gaza conflict.


First Gaza victims reach UAE

The special flight (NE5202) departed from El Arish International Airport (AAC), located around 45km from Gaza in Egyptian territory, landing at the VIP terminal in Abu Dhabi (AUH) at 07:45 local time on Saturday. According to an Al Arabiya report, the flight had approximately 15 injured Palestinian children, along with their families, medical teams and officials.

The injured will receive medical treatment at hospitals in the UAE and will be the first of hundreds of arrivals in the coming days. This is on a directive by the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who issued an urgent order this month to provide medical assistance for 1,000 Palestinian children and their families.

Among the wounded included children with severe injuries and burns, as well as cancer patients needing urgent care. Patients were carefully removed from the Airbus A320, some on stretchers, and were loaded on ambulances traveling to local hospitals. Maha Barakat, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Health, said hospitals are prepared for their arrival and will provide comprehensive and specialist care.

Nesma Airlines A320

Photo: Philip Lange | Shutterstock

The flight was operated by a Nesma Airlines A320-200 (registration: SU-NMR) – the 17-year-old narrowbody can usually seat 180 passengers in an all-economy layout, and previously flew under Iberia and then flynas.

Read more: How aviation plays a crucial role in global crisis responses

Daily flights possible

Given the extent of civilian casualties in Gaza right now, authorities want to evacuate the injured as quickly as possible. This could lead to one or more flights every single day – as Mohammed Al Kaabi from the Emirates Red Crescent explained,

“We would like to carry out daily evacuations because there are injured people, hospitals out of service, and a shortage of medicines. God willing, during the next week we will have evacuated whomever we can, because time is precious and there are lives we are losing.”

The UAE leadership has committed $20 million to providing urgent assistance in Gaza, including delivering supplies and setting up an integrated field hospital. It has sent over 50 aircraft transporting 1,400 tonnes of food and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip.

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Source: Al Arabiya

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