UAE delivers lifeline to Gaza's dying healthcare system

Khaleej Times

3 days ago

The UAE, through its humanitarian efforts and relief aid under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, has managed to keep the Gaza Strip's health sector operational, averting total collapse and ensuring continued medical services for the Palestinian people.
The UAE demonstrated utmost readiness and high professionalism during its swift intervention to address the escalating medical challenges in the Gaza Strip. This was evident through its presence on the ground via the Emirati field hospital inside the Strip, the floating hospital deployed to Egypt's Al Arish city, the transfer of critical and severe cases to UAE hospitals for treatment, and the dispatch of various medical aid and supplies to enhance Gaza's health sector capabilities.
Since its inauguration in December 2023, the Emirati integrated field hospital in Gaza has continued to provide treatment services to the people of Gaza through specialised and qualified cadres in various medical fields, supported by medical volunteers. By April 2025, the number of cases treated at the hospital exceeded 51,000, including critical injuries and complex surgical operations.
Through the hospital, the UAE launched a humanitarian initiative to provide prosthetics for injured individuals who underwent amputations, aiming to support their rehabilitation and help them regain their normal lives.
The facility has a capacity of 200 beds and includes operating rooms equipped for various types of surgeries. The medical team successfully removed a 5-kilogramme tumour from the abdomen of a patient who had endured years of severe pain and complications.
In February 2024, the UAE dispatched an integrated floating hospital off the coast of Al Arish to provide medical support to Palestinians. The facility includes a medical and administrative team across various specialties, such as anaesthesiology, general surgery, orthopaedics, and emergency medicine.
By April 2025, the hospital had treated approximately 10,370 cases. It has a capacity of 100 beds, operating rooms, intensive care units, radiology, a laboratory, a pharmacy, and medical warehouses.
1,000 cancer patients
In addition to on-the-ground support, the UAE has also facilitated the transfer of critical patients to its hospitals. Under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE committed to hosting 1,000 Palestinian cancer patients of all ages, as well as 1,000 Palestinian children with their families, to ensure they receive complete healthcare until they can return home.
By May 14, a total of 2,634 patients and family members had arrived in the UAE, demonstrating the country's commitment to providing necessary treatment.
Medical and health supplies constitute a significant part of the total humanitarian aid the UAE continues to deliver to Gaza since the beginning of the crisis. These include various types of medicines and equipment, such as dialysis machines, ultrasound devices, lung resuscitation devices, wheelchairs, artificial respiration masks, and ambulances.
1,200 tonnes of medical materials, supplies
After 500 days since the launch of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the UAE has provided more than 1,200 tonnes of medical materials and supplies to support Gaza's hospitals. The health system was further reinforced with 17 ambulances equipped with the latest technology.
A comprehensive polio vaccination campaign was also implemented, covering over 640,000 children as part of preventive efforts to protect future generations from infectious diseases.
Between January 1 and April 24, 2025, Dubai Humanitarian sent three relief shipments to Al Arish International Airport in support of Gaza, carrying approximately 256 metric tonnes of medical supplies belonging to the World Health Organisation.
To enhance public health and prevent communicable diseases, the UAE also contributes through projects and initiatives that provide safe drinking water in the Gaza Strip and implements measures to repair sewage networks, aiming to reduce pollution and curb the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases.