UAE announces emergency field hospital, offers evacuations for Palestinian children

Diplomats at the Security Council session heard an announcement that the United Arab Emirates had launched an emergency field hospital to assist civilians in Gaza and would provide medical evacuations for children in need of treatment.

Ambassador Nussebe said the UAE president had "launched, an emergency field hospital" and that "5 aircraft have left Abu Dhabi Airport this morning and will be arriving in the Alarish airstrip shortly," describing plans to set up an emergency field hospital in Gaza. He also said the UAE "will be taking 1,000 Palestinian children who require medical treatment along with their families to come and rehabilitate in The UAE." Ambassador Nussebe added that details on border crossings and operational arrangements would be shared in the coming days.

Council members pressed for clarity on logistics: one questioner asked whether the aid would cross Israeli or Egyptian borders and whether it could be delivered safely while fighting continued. Ambassador Nussebe said headquarters would provide further details within a day or two and that the UAE will send a minister to an upcoming Paris meeting to coordinate efforts.

The announcement was presented as a humanitarian operation; the transcript does not provide operational details such as the exact entry points, medical capacity of the field hospital, or which agencies would run the facility. Ambassador Nussebe emphasized coordination with partners on the ground, including Egypt, and with Israel where relevant to establish secure passages for aid.

The Council did not take a formal decision on the UAE proposal in the portion of the transcript provided; Ambassador Nussebe said the leadership would share logistical details imminently.