'Mercy' flights give critically injured and ill Palestinians a chance of survival.

 

On Tuesday, a plane on a military airfield in Egypt's northern Sinai became a beacon of hope for 56 critically ill and injured individuals from Gaza, preparing to embark on a vital medical journey. Ambulances shuttled these patients from nearby hospitals and directly from Gaza to the aircraft, which was uniquely modified for medical transport.

This mission of mercy, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, involved converting commercial aircraft into flying infirmaries equipped with stretchers and beds. The aim was to safely transport these individuals on a four-hour flight from Egypt to Abu Dhabi, where essential medical treatment awaited them. The flight on Tuesday marked the UAE's eleventh such humanitarian effort since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict following the attacks on October 7.

The majority of the evacuees were children suffering from severe fractures and head traumas. Among them were also patients battling chronic conditions, worsened by the severe reduction in medical supplies entering Gaza since the war commenced. These patients received care from a dedicated medical team accompanying them on the flight.

Dr. Maha Barakat, the UAE's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Health, shared a poignant memory of the first evacuation flight. She recalled a young girl with multiple fractures who smiled in relief for the first time in months when provided with effective pain management.

The dire need for medical supplies and treatment is exacerbated by Gaza's deteriorating infrastructure and overwhelmed hospital system, leaving nearly 66,000 injured and sick with limited options for care. The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 26,900 fatalities since the conflict began, with the World Health Organization documenting 645 attacks on healthcare facilities up to mid-January.

Among those evacuated was 12-year-old Nour, who suffered severe leg injuries from a bombing and faced the grim prospect of amputation without proper surgical intervention. Another evacuee, Mai Blata, has been deprived of critical medication for a genetic disorder, resulting in kidney failure and nerve damage.

The UAE is continuously refining the logistical aspects of these evacuations, overcoming challenges such as communication blackouts in Gaza and coordinating with the few remaining operational hospitals. The scarcity of pharmaceuticals and the blockade against Gaza have made cancer treatments and other lifesaving medications inaccessible, although Israel denies restricting chemotherapy imports.

For the evacuees of Tuesday's flight, the journey to recovery presents not only the challenge of healing but also the uncertainty of what awaits them upon their return to Gaza, pondering the condition of their homes and the possibility of a future there.