UAE field hospital in Gaza marks one year of life-saving operations

Almost 50,000 Palestinians have been treated since the outbreak of war

Thousands of Palestinians have been treated at the UAE field hospital in Gaza. Photo: UAE Field Hospital in Gaza

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More than 48,700 injured Palestinians have been treated at the 200-bed UAE field hospital in Rafah since it first opened in December last year. One year on, medical staff continue to provide care for those injured in the Israel-Gaza war as part of the Gallant Knight 3 operation.

“During the 365 days of tireless work, the medical teams in the hospital conducted more than 1,780 surgeries ranging from minor to critical, across various specialities such as orthopaedics, neurology and general surgeries,” the Ministry of Defence said. “The UAE provided 10 ambulances and 400 tonnes of medical supplies to aid hospitals in Gaza.”

The hospital also provided telemedicine consultations using Starlink internet service. “Today, after one year, the hospital stands as a living testament of the UAE’s commitment to supporting the brothers in Gaza,” the ministry added.

The field hospital, which was swiftly assembled by a team of medical professionals and support staff, is equipped with advanced medical technology and supplies. It specialises in general and orthopaedic surgery, offering anaesthetic services and intensive care for children and adults. It also provides medicines, dentistry, and psychiatric treatment.

Volunteers at the field hospital came together on Monday to mark the country's 53rd Eid Al Etihad with the participation of Palestinian workers and patients.

Hamad Al Neyadi, head of the UAE relief mission, said: “We appreciate your feelings for the joy of the Emirati people on Eid Al Etihad 53. We will continue to help and support our brothers in Gaza. Thanks from our heart to our brothers in Gaza.”

A prosthetics centre opened in February, equipped with the latest medical devices in the field of limb treatment and rehabilitation, where the hospital provided care for people to be able to move and return to their normal lives.

Staff at the hospital have been donating their blood to help provide critical medical aid to civilians affected by the war.

Dr Sultan Al Kaabi, the hospital's director, told The National in July that the medical team had conducted five donation campaigns to provide blood to hospitals across the enclave since it opened.

“The Emirati blood has mixed with the Palestinian blood in one vein,” Mr Al Kaabi said. “We also have a department for mental and physical rehabilitation.”

Launched after an order by President Sheikh Mohamed after the bulk of Gaza's hospitals were destroyed or left in a state of dysfunction, the hospital is being operated with the support of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and the Emirates Red Crescent.

The UAE has offered vital support to the Palestinian people since the deadly conflict broke out in October, including sending food and clothing by land, air and sea and providing shelter and medical care to wounded and sick Gazans in the Emirates.

With at least 44,466 killed in Gaza, the war has driven about 80 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million residents from their homes – with many displaced several times – and destroyed apartments, hospitals, mosques and schools.

Watch: Inside UAE's field hospital in Gaza