The UAE, working with the World Health Organization and others, evacuated 252 people from Gaza on Sept. 11 as part of ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian aid and medical care. Among those rescued were 97 critically wounded individuals, accompanied by 155 family members, including 142 children.
"When the plane took off, everyone clapped," said Dr. Maha Barakat, a UAE official. "No one thought they would actually get the chance to leave until it happened."
The evacuees flew from Ramon Airport in Eilat after crossing from Gaza via Kerem Shalom. This was the UAE's second flight, following a February mission for Gaza children. The evacuations are part of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan's plan to treat 1,000 injured children and 1,000 cancer patients in Abu Dhabi.
The World Health Organization estimates over 10,000 Gazans urgently need medical evacuation. Barakat noted that the UAE is helping those who couldn't reach the Egyptian border after the Rafah crossing closed in May.
Among the evacuees were two sisters, Maysa, 15, and Yara, 10, who lost their eyesight in an Israeli airstrike. Many were taken to hospitals in Abu Dhabi, while others were transferred to the Emirates Humanitarian City, which can host up to 15,000 people and currently houses 1,700, including some of the latest evacuees.
The city's facilities include schools, rehab centers, and hospitals. Muatassim, a 6-year-old from Gaza, showed his injured leg but didn't want to talk about his sister, who remains in Gaza.
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