Tánaiste and Minister for Health confirm successful medical evacuation of sick children from Gaza for healthcare treatment in Ireland

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris TD, and Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, have today confirmed the arrival in Ireland of a group of Palestinian children to receive healthcare treatment here. This is the third medical evacuation from Gaza following Government's approval in September 2024, in response to an appeal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to address the health needs of people from Gaza.

Doctors from Children's Health Ireland (CHI) worked with the WHO to identify sick and injured children who would benefit from treatment in Ireland. Seven children arrived in Dublin on Saturday evening, with 29 accompanying family members. The group travelled overland from Gaza to Jordan in a WHO medevac convoy and were accompanied from Jordan by an Irish medical team on a plane provided by the Norwegian Government. The group will complete medical assessments over the coming days.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris, said:

"I am pleased that Ireland is able to welcome seven more children from Gaza, along with their family members, for medical treatment. These children and their families have been through a horrific ordeal. They will receive excellent medical care while here in Ireland as they recover from their experiences. I thank our international partners, as well as our embassy teams in Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt, for their continued support and cooperation to make these medical evacuations possible."

Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said:

"This marks the first time Ireland has undertaken a medical evacuation out of Gaza city to Ireland, via Jordan. It was a complex operation that required close collaboration across multiple government departments and with our international partners. The dedication, professionalism and humanity shown by all involved reflects the very best of public service. I offer my sincere thanks to everyone involved in making this medical evacuation possible.

"I wish the seven children and their accompanying family members well as they begin their treatment and recovery here."

Following a Government decision in 2024, Ireland will receive up to 30 paediatric patients in total from Gaza. Ireland will continue to opt in on a case-by-case basis for each child who requires treatment, subject to the necessary capacity being available at that time.

Under this initiative the children and their families are housed in accommodation managed by the Irish Red Cross. The care package being provided includes caseworker and translation services to ensure that the patients and their carers are well looked after and have assistance in accessing all services as needed. In addition, the Health Service Executive (HSE) will provide appropriate psycho-social assessment for both patients and carers. All patients and carers received health screening prior to travel to Dublin.

Chief Executive Officer of Children's Health Ireland, Lucy Nugent, said:

'It is a real privilege for our team in CHI 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. Our thanks to all involved in this multi-agency effort for the provision of humanitarian aid."

HSE National Medical Evacuation Coordinator Dr Ciaran Browne, said:

"Our third medical evacuation of children from Gaza to Ireland has been a success because we have developed strong partnerships with the EU, Norway, the WHO and Médecins sans Frontières. We are delighted to bring these children and their families to Ireland for treatment that will greatly improve their life. The HSE is looking forward to completing further missions to provide treatment for up to 30 children this year."

Head of International and Migration, Irish Red Cross, Niall O'Keeffe, said:

"We are proud to work in tandem with the Irish government, and all the other partners involved, to welcome these children to Ireland so they can get the critical medical treatment they so badly need. As we all know, 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. The Irish Red Cross team will provide practical assistance to the children and their families, including accommodation, transport to medical appointments and Arabic-speaking caseworkers, to support successful medical treatment and integration into life in Ireland. We will work alongside them, helping them to navigate life in Ireland and avail of the supports they may need.

"The Irish Red Cross is here for those most in need, supporting people in times of crisis, helping them to rebuild their lives. The huge generosity of the Irish public, and our incredible volunteers, who enable us to continue our work, is a source of great inspiration and encouragement. Sincere thanks to them for all their 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."

This complex medical evacuation required significant coordination and collaboration with the Irish Red Cross, relevant authorities in the region, the Jordanian Red Crescent, WHO, MSF, the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism and the government of Norway.

The HSE is acting in a central coordination role across all required services/service providers from the patients' arrival to receiving treatment. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Health would like to note the great support for this initiative from across Government and medical staff, who have gone above and beyond normal work roles to ensure the success of the project.

The Department of Justice has co-ordinated visa requirements for the children and their carers and families, while the Department of Social Protection is involved in access to welfare and other supports.

Notes

As an EU Member State, Ireland was asked to respond to a request from the WHO to assist in addressing the health needs in Gaza. Ireland has a strong tradition of providing humanitarian assistance including through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Irish Aid humanitarian and development assistance programmes and the HSE Global Health Programme.

Procedures for medical evacuations to Ireland are well established in the context of the first group who arrived from Gaza in December and previous medical evacuations from Ukraine. Medical evacuation requests are managed through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), with the HSE managing the clinical support of the injured patient and other departments and agencies responding to the ancillary support needs as above.

The WHO oversees the medical evacuations overland from Gaza city as far as Jordan for host countries, including Ireland. The services of the EU's Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) were used for the transfer from Jordan to Ireland and Dublin Airport was the point of arrival.

In April 2024, the WHO) requested support from the EU to medically evacuate Palestinian patients to Europe through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). By mid-September almost 300 patients had been evacuated to EU Member States, including Ireland through the UCPM since the initial request. Ireland is one of a number of EU Member States participating in this current ERCC and WHO-supported medical evacuation.

Ireland has provided €101 million in support to the people of Palestine since January 2023. A total of €89 million of this has been provided since October 2023.

Irish Red Cross

Accommodation for the participants will be provided in properties that are managed by the Irish Red Cross and used for their work with migrants and displaced people. These are not properties that would otherwise be on the rental market.

The Irish Red Cross is part of the largest humanitarian movement in the world.