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The UAE floating hospital in Al Arish, Egypt, near the Gaza border, has provided treatment for 7,700 patients, carried out more than 2,700 surgical procedures, held at least 3,000 physiotherapy sessions and fitted 23 prosthetic limbs in the past 12 months.
Over the past year, a number of complex procedures, including laparoscopic surgery for patients with severe injuries, have been conducted, according to state news agency Wam.
The hospital began operations on February 24, 2024, as part of Operation Gallant Knight 3. It continues to deliver care by led by an Emirati medical and administrative team, working alongside Indonesian staff. It is equipped with advanced surgical and intensive care units, a radiology department and laboratories, with a capacity of 100 patient beds and an additional 100 for accompanying relatives.
The hospital also has a physiotherapy department, in which up to 15 surgical procedures and 25 physiotherapy sessions can be carried out a day. Since it was launched, more than 3,000 physiotherapy sessions have helped patients regain mobility and improve their quality of life.
“With the dedication of specialised medical teams and state-of-the-art equipment, we have treated thousands of patients and performed hundreds of critical surgeries,” said Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, the hospital’s director. “We remain committed to providing the highest standards of medical and humanitarian care, easing the suffering of the injured and fostering hope for recovery.”
The hospital has also organised social and recreational activities, including programmes for children, to boost morale.
Ramadan aid drive
The UAE announced it was sending 300 tonnes of essential food supplies to Gaza on aid flights last week, to offer crucial support to embattled Palestinians during Ramadan.
The first 100 tonnes of staple goods – including flour, rice and cooking ingredients – were loaded on to a plane at Fujairah International Airport on Friday. Two more planes – each carrying 100 tonnes of food – took off from Ras Al Khaimah on Saturday and Sunday under the humanitarian drive.
Ramadan will be marked as a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel continues to hold, against the backdrop of regional outcry over US President Donald Trump's proposal to take over the Gaza Strip and displace its Palestinian citizens.
UAE delivers key support
Launched in 2023, Operation Gallant Knight 3 has been carried out in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent and humanitarian and charitable institutions in the UAE.
More than 55,000 tonnes of aid has been delivered through air, and across sea and land, with more than 500 air trips, six transport ships and 2,500 lorries used to carry goods from Egypt into Gaza. Additionally, an air-drop operation has delivered more than 3,700 tonnes of humanitarian aid by parachute to otherwise inaccessible areas.
Most of Gaza's residents have been displaced by the fighting and many areas have been reduced to rubble.
The UAE's floating hospital at Al Arish - in pictures
