First group of wounded Palestinian children from Israel-Gaza war arrives in UAE

15 people, including children and family members, crossed the Gaza Strip’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt and took a flight from to Abu Dhabi

The movement is part of a pledged relief effort by the UAE to aid 1,000 children

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Two Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes, lie in an ambulance outside Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah in the centre of the Gaza Strip, as they start the process of being evacuated to the UAE in a humanitarian flight from al-Arish in Egypt. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:08pm, 18 Nov 2023

The first planeload of Palestinian children wounded in the Israel-Gaza war raging in the Gaza Strip reached the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, part of a pledged relief effort by the country to aid 1,000 children.

The group of 15 people, including children and their family members, made it across the Gaza Strip’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Friday. They then took a flight from the Egyptian city of El-Arish to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE.

Young children lay asleep on their mothers’ laps as the plane finally landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Some of the seats of the plane were removed to make room for the most critically wounded children, who needed to lie on stretchers.

Palestinian children wounded in Israeli strikes lie in an ambulance in the centre of the Gaza Strip, as they start the process of being evacuated to the UAE in a humanitarian flight from al-Arish in Egypt. Photo: AFP

Some of the young had bandaged arms and legs. Others sat quietly next to their parents or relatives. Some travelled alone. The mood was sombre and quiet inside the plane. Many of the mothers said they were exhausted.

Amr Jandieh, 12, his eyes welling up with tears, said he travelled to the Emirates alone.

“My dad, uncle, and I were talking on the street,” Jandieh said. “My uncle was killed. My dad was injured ... all of a sudden a missile hit and I lost consciousness. I woke up and found myself in the hospital.”

Mohammed Abu Tabikh, 14, was one of the more seriously wounded children on the plane. He suffered injuries to his neck and spine when a car he was travelling in was hit in a strike.