In much the same way Spain has assisted the victims of the war in Ukraine, fifteen Palestinian minors with serious health problems resulting from the effects of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and 27 immediate family members have been evacuated to Madrid from Cairo to be treated in Spanish hospitals.
This operation is in response to the commitment made by the Ministry of Health to the World Health Organisation (WHO), announced by the President of the Government, and which has also counted on the participation and collaboration of the Ministries of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration; Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation; Defence; and Interior. The WHO; the European Commission Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC); and the Palestinian Children’s Aid Fund have also been involved and collaborating.
The Gazan minors, most of whom have various types of trauma injuries, will be treated in hospitals in the Basque Country, Asturias, Navarra, Castilla La Mancha and the Gómez Ulla hospital in Madrid, which is part of the Ministry of Defence, all under the coordination of the Ministry of Health. In addition, their families will be welcomed and accompanied by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration in collaboration with the NGO Accem.
The children, their families and the teams deployed from the Ministries of Health and Inclusion, Social Security and Migration flew the Torrejón de Ardoz Military Airport on board a medical aircraft from the Ministry of Defence, which offers all the security guarantees for an evacuation of this nature.
This is the first medical evacuation within the Medevac mechanism with Palestinian patients coming from Gaza due to the conflict. Medevac is a medical evacuation mechanism that is activated when a country faces a disaster that exceeds its response capacity and requires assistance through the civil protection mechanism. Its activation involves the Emergency Response Coordination Centre of the European Commission to mobilize assistance and experts from the participating countries.
In this case, the WHO has coordinated the management of this request to the ERCC and has activated the Medevac. Spain has participated in previous Medevac mechanisms to assist patients from Ukraine and Moldova. And now it is the first European country to bring Palestinian minors evacuated from Gaza through this mechanism to receive medical treatment. Likewise, the Ministry of Health is calling for other European countries to join this mechanism for the reception of minors.
Medical care in Spanish hospitals
Once in Spain, the minors will be transferred to different hospitals in the country to receive care, depending on the availability and specialties of each medical centre and the needs of the patients. They will be transferred this Thursday, July 25.
The patients will be distributed as follows: five to the Donostia University Hospital in the Basque Country; five to the Cruces University Hospital in Baracaldo, also in the Basque Country; two to the Central University Hospital of Asturias in Oviedo; two to the General University Hospital of Toledo; one to the Navarro University Hospital in Pamplona; and one to the Gómez Ulla Hospital in Madrid, which is part of the Ministry of Defence.
Medical evacuation on a military plane
The Ministry of Health has sent four health professionals from the offices of the Minister, the Secretary of State and Ingesa to Cairo to coordinate the operation on the ground and carry out the studies of health needs relevant to the minors before the trip to Madrid, in collaboration with the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, which is carrying out the psychosocial care studies.
From last Saturday until next Wednesday, the teams will supervise the grouping of the minors from the Egyptian capital and organize their evacuation to Madrid, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation through its Embassy in Cairo. To do so, they also have the assistance of the staff of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre of the European Commission and the Aid Fund for Palestinian Children.
The evacuation of the minors will take place in a medical aircraft of the Air and Space Force, which provides technical infrastructure, as well as specialised personnel from the UMAER (Medical Aeroevacuation Unit) to guarantee the safety of the patients at all times. The aircraft is also equipped with electromedical equipment and state-of-the-art medical supplies, which are constantly inspected and ready for use.
The UMAER is a unit that is characterised by its professionalism, meticulousness and anticipation of different scenarios. For this reason, the equipment they transport has a duplicate that allows them to deal with any eventuality.
Reception
The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has also travelled with the delegation sent to Cairo to assist the families of the children who will later be cared for in Spain. They are accompanied by two members of the Ministry’s General Directorate of Migration Management and two interpreters from Accem, the collaborating entity that will carry out the so-called Cunina Project.
The aim of the project is to address the urgent medical needs of children, allowing them to be accompanied by their closest relatives during treatment.
Accem and the Ministry of Inclusion will manage the provision of different services and actions within the reception, such as accommodation, food and coverage of basic needs; as well as comprehensive care, consisting of information and guidance, support, psychological and legal care, and translation and interpretation services.
During the duration of the operation, the families will be accommodated in resources managed by Accem in the Basque Country, Castilla La Mancha, Asturias, Navarra and Madrid. The closest possible location to the hospitals where the minors receive medical care has been facilitated, or, failing that, the transfer of the relatives to the corresponding hospital centre has been facilitated. These people will also have financial aid to cover their needs while they participate in the programme.
Thanks from the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund
The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) is the NGO that cares for children evacuated to Egypt from the Gaza Strip and is responsible, jointly with the Palestinian Authority, for their care and transfer to host countries. PCRF President Vivian Khalaf said: “We thank the Government of Spain, the ERCC and the WHO for responding to our appeals. This historic cooperation will ensure life-saving treatment for injured children in Europe. This partnership is a testament to the power of international solidarity and compassion, and reinforces our mission at PCRF to provide these children with critical medical and humanitarian care during these difficult times.”
Meanwhile, Tareq Hailat, who heads PCRF’s overseas treatment programme, says: “The courage and resilience of these young patients inspires us every day. Sadly, many more children, like these 15, are in urgent need of medical care and evacuation. This mission represents hope for many families in Gaza and demonstrates the transformative impact of global solidarity. We also look forward to similar missions starting next week in Belgium, Norway and Italy, and we hope they will continue.”
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