UAE's floating hospital fits 21 more Palestinian amputees with prosthetic limbs

Since the establishment of the Step of Hope programme in June, the UAE's floating hospital in Egypt has provided prosthetic limbs to 72 Palestinian amputees affected by the Gaza conflict. The latest phase of the initiative has seen 21 individuals undergo medical and technical assessments, with their custom-made prosthetics currently being manufactured and fitted ahead of physiotherapy and mobility rehabilitation.

Utilising 3D scanning technology to "map patients' residual limbs," data is shared between Gaza teams and the Al Arish floating hospital, where the prosthetics are produced and fitted. The programme also aims to bolster Gaza's economy by constructing factories for prosthetic manufacturing and enhancing existing workshops through increased funding.

The floating hospital, operational since February 24, 2024, forms a crucial component of the UAE's relief efforts in Gaza, which commenced when Israel launched its war on the enclave in October 2023. Equipped with advanced surgical and intensive care units, a radiology department, and laboratories, the hospital offers 200 beds for patients and an additional 200 for their relatives.

In November 2025, medics reported over 5,000 operations at the hospital. The UAE has also established a field hospital and two medical centres in Gaza, providing urgent care to thousands of patients, including those with cancer and war-related injuries. In the past week, another UAE aid convoy carrying 663 tonnes of humanitarian supplies arrived in Gaza as part of Operation Gallant Knight 3, which has been ongoing for 1,000 days, with more than Dh14.2 billion ($3.89 billion) of aid dispatched during this period.