Ireland Welcomes Second Group of Palestinian Children for Medical Treatment
Ireland welcomes second group of Palestinian children from Gaza for urgent medical care. Four children arrived Monday, with up to 30 expected in total.
A second group of Palestinian children has arrived in Ireland to receive critical medical care. The children, who have been evacuated from Gaza, arrived in Dublin on Monday evening accompanied by their immediate family members.
The medical evacuation was confirmed by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris, and Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. This initiative follows government approval secured in September 2024 for Ireland to evacuate sick children from Gaza for treatment.
Four children travelled from Egypt on a plane provided by the Norwegian Government. They were accompanied by medical staff from Children's Health Ireland (CHI), Irish Red Cross case workers and a translator. The group was welcomed by Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed Sarwat Selim, and Palestinian Deputy Head of Mission Baker M.B. Hijazi.
"I am delighted that a second group of children from Gaza have been able to travel to Ireland to access urgent medical care," said the Tánaiste. "These children have lived through hell for a significant chunk of their lives. It is difficult to imagine the suffering they have experienced."
Minister Carroll MacNeill echoed these sentiments, expressing gratitude to all involved in the operation.
"I'm pleased that the second medical evacuation of Palestinian children and their carers/guardians to Ireland has now happened, and that the Irish health service is now providing care to these children," she said.
The initiative was made possible through cooperation with the Egyptian government, whose Ministry of Health and Population led coordination efforts. The World Health Organisation coordinated the evacuation of patients from Gaza to Egypt, while the EU's Union Civil Protection Mechanism facilitated the transfer to Ireland.
It is estimated that Ireland will receive up to 30 paediatric patients in total from Gaza. The children and their families are being housed in accommodation managed by the Irish Red Cross, with comprehensive support including caseworkers and translation services.
Dr Ciaran Browne, HSE National Medical Evacuation Coordinator, commented:
"We are delighted that the HSE's second mission to medivac patients from Gaza was successful. The children have already begun treatment and we know the care they will receive at Children's Health Ireland will make a big difference."
Since the beginning of the crisis in October 2023, Ireland has provided over €75 million in support to the people of Palestine, with total support since January 2023 exceeding €87 million.
