UAE launches programme to provide prosthetic limbs for injured Gaza war survivors

The UAE on Thursday unveiled an expanded prosthetics support programme for Palestinians who have suffered amputations after being injured in the Gaza war.

The Step of Hope project will provide prosthetic limbs for the injured to restore mobility, foster recovery and help them rebuild their lives with renewed hope, state news agency Wam reported.

Under the programme, patients will be assessed at the UAE Floating Hospital in Al Arish, Egypt, where measurements are taken to customise prosthetic limbs.

Teams in Gaza will use 3D scanning to “map patients’ residual limbs”. This data will be shared with the floating hospital, where the prosthetic will be made and delivered to the patient.

“Step of Hope embodies the UAE’s unwavering commitment to alleviating the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” said Mohamed Al Sharif, official spokesman for the UAE’s Operation Gallant Knight 3 campaign.

“While this is not our first foray into prosthetic care, it represents the launch of a fully integrated ecosystem alongside the International Charity Organisation [ICO]. We anticipate more charitable organisations will join this alliance in the near future.”

The programme will seek to boost the economy in Gaza, where factories will be built to manufacture the prosthetics. Depots for storage will be set up and funding for existing workshops will increase.

The field hospital has been fitting prosthetics for people who lost their limbs in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since 2024. The project is being conducted in association with the ICO.

“Our collaboration with Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 reflects the deeply rooted humanitarian values of the UAE leadership, which places human dignity at the centre of its global mission,” said Dr Khalid Abdulwahab Al Khaja, ICO secretary general.

“The ICO is fully committed to expanding this project to reach the largest possible number of beneficiaries. This initiative builds upon our ongoing humanitarian partnership, which has previously delivered food supplies, critical medical equipment and essential pharmaceuticals to Gaza, made possible by the continuous support of our leadership and the enduring generosity of the UAE community.”

Operation Gallant Knight 3 was set up following the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023.

The Emirates has sought to deliver humanitarian support in a show of solidarity with Palestinians, with relief efforts continuing despite recent attacks by Iran in the region.