UAE evacuates 188 patients, family members from Gaza

The UAE has airlifted 101 injured Gazans and 87 accompanying family members from Israel to receive medical treatment in the Emirates.

It follows the directive by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to provide treatment and healthcare to 1,000 wounded Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients from the Gaza Strip at UAE hospitals.

So far, 2,630 patients and family members have arrived in the UAE for medical care.

Carried out in cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UAE's latest evacuation flight was from Ramon airport in Israel, via Karam Abu Salam crossing.

“During this critical time, the UAE will spare no effort to extend help to the Palestinians and launch initiatives for their aid whether by land, sea, or air," said Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organisations and Vice Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency.

"We will continue to closely work... with the United Nations and our international partners to intensify the necessary efforts to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and ensure the urgent, safe, unhindered, and sustainable delivery of aid at a wide scale and through all possible means.

"The UAE is among the leading countries in providing support to the people in Gaza. Since the onset of the crisis in October 2023, the country has provided over 40 per cent of the total amount of aid delivered."

Al Shamsi noted that the UAE has provided over 65,000 tonnes of relief, food and medical supplies to support the Palestinians.