Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
“It’s OK brother, stop crying, we’re finally safe and there’s no reason to be afraid any more,” a boy from Gaza told his younger sibling as they embraced thousands of feet in the air.
The pair were aboard a chartered plane carrying about 15 children, along with their families, to Abu Dhabi for medical treatment.
The group were evacuated late on Friday when the Rafah border crossing opened during a humanitarian pause after more than six weeks of Israeli bombardment on Gaza.
The injured and their relatives are the first of 1,000 women and children to be evacuated to the UAE under an initiative from President Sheikh Mohamed that will allow injured Palestinian children from Gaza to be flown in for treatment at UAE hospitals.
They crossed the Rafah border into Egypt’s Al Arish where more than 20 doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians from the UAE’s Burjeel Hospital, NMC Royal Hospital and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City assessed them.
“We hope to receive the first group within the coming week,” Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE's Permanent Representative to the UN, told the UN Security Council.
Mohammed Khamis Al Kaabi, Head of the Emirates Red Crescent delegation to Egypt, told The National that the UAE group has been working with partners at the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent to identify and assess who could make the journey and cross the Rafah border.
“The 15 or so people who crossed the border today are part of the first batch that will hopefully continue in the days and weeks to come as we try to facilitate the transfer of as many patients from Gaza to the UAE as we can help,” Mr Al Kaabi said.
The Emirati Red Crescent is building a field hospital near the Rafah border where those not medically fit to leave Al Arish can receive treatment.
Since the UAE announced the operation, named Gallant Knight 3, it has flown out several cargo planes carrying equipment and medical supplies for the hospital.
The hospital, Mr Al Kaabi said, will have 150 beds and include various specialised units such as surgery, orthopaedics, paediatrics and gynaecology, along with other essential medical services.
Specialist ICU and paediatricians were chosen from UAE hospitals, particularly those with experience in working with trauma patients.
“We have made preparations for this mission for several weeks now and, as is with war, we have thought of all the contingency plans we need to take care of in case anything that can change on the ground and for every possible scenario,” Tarek Wahba, a specialist physician in the intensive care department at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, told The National.
Specialist doctors including Dr Zainul Aabideen, a paediatric oncologist at Burjeel Hospital, were also flown in to tend to at least seven patients, most of them children, who were suffering from cancer to assess their medical needs before their flights to Abu Dhabi.
Gallant Knight 3 was launched on November 5 under the leadership of the Joint Operations Command at the Ministry of Defence in co-operation and co-ordination with the Emirates Red Crescent, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, the Zayed Charitable Humanitarian Foundation, and other UAE institutions to provide humanitarian support to Palestinian people in Gaza.
The initiative also provides volunteering opportunities for doctors registered with the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi and for volunteers registered with the Emirates Red Crescent and other aid charities.
Maha Barakat, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Health Affairs, said all medical and health teams and hospitals in the country were prepared to receive the remaining children and their families until they can return to Gaza safely.
“Since the beginning of the crisis, the UAE and its President have rushed to provide urgent humanitarian aid and supplies to the Gaza Strip,” she told The National.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Duminy's Test career in numbers
Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
5th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
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Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
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