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A total of 36 Palestinians, including seven children accompanied by 29 family members, arrived at Dublin Airport on Saturday evening. This is the third group of Gazan children arriving in Ireland for medical care after the Government’s approval in September 2024, following the appeal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to address the health needs of people from Gaza. The first group of eight Palestinian children arrived in Ireland in December last year, and the second group of four children came in May for healthcare treatment. Doctors from Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) have worked with the WHO to identify sick and injured children who would benefit from treatment in Ireland. Following the Government’s decision last year, Ireland will receive up to 39 paediatric patients from Gaza. The country will continue to accept children for treatment on a case-by-case basis, depending on available capacity. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris said he is “pleased that Ireland is able to welcome seven more children from Gaza”. “These children and their families have been through a horrific ordeal,” he said. "They will receive excellent medical care while here in Ireland as they recover from their experiences." Meanwhile, Health Minister Jennifer MacNeill said this marks the first time Ireland has undertaken a medical evacuation out of Gaza City to Ireland via Jordan. She added it was a “complex operation” requiring “close collaboration across multiple government departments and with our international partners”, including several embassies. "The dedication, professionalism and humanity shown by all involved reflect the very best of public service,” she added. Under this initiative, the children and their families are housed in accommodation managed by the Irish Red Cross. The care package for Palestinians includes caseworker and translation services to ensure support in accessing all services they might need. The HSE will provide appropriate psycho-social assessment for both patients and carers who have also received health screening before their travel to Dublin. The group travelled overland from Gaza to Jordan in a WHO medevac convoy, and was accompanied from Jordan by an Irish medical team on a plane provided by the Norwegian government. They will complete the medical assessment over the coming days. The chief executive of CHI, Lucy Nugent, said it is a “real privilege” for their team to “contribute toward Ireland’s medevac response”. “Our staff who participate in these missions are involved with the families from the outset, and it is both meaningful and emotional that we can in some way help the children of Gaza.” Head of International and Migration at Irish Red Cross, Niall O’Keefe, said: “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic, but thankfully, through this programme, these sick children will get access to critically important health care and support.” “We cannot begin to comprehend the deeply traumatic experiences that these children and their families have survived. "We hope that the welcome and support of the Irish Red Cross will be a comfort and reassurance to them as they recover and rebuild,” he said.
