Palestinian Ambassador Visits Children’s Health Ireland to Meet Families and Staff Involved in Gaza Medical Evacuations

Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street recently welcomed the Palestinian Ambassador for a visit focused on families and staff involved in the medical evacuation of paediatric patients from Gaza.

To date, CHI staff have been involved in three medical evacuations of children from Gaza, working in close partnership with national and international partners including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Health Service Executive (HSE), demonstrating the collective efforts behind these complex and humanitarian evacuations.

During the visit, the Ambassador met with families whose children are receiving care, as well as CHI clinicians and staff who have supported the evacuations and ongoing treatment. The gathering provided an opportunity for meaningful connection and reflection, grounded in a shared understanding of the profound hardship experienced by children in times of war.

Conversations centred on the disproportionate impact of conflict on children’s health and wellbeing, from interruptions to essential medical care to the long-term physical and psychological consequences of war. Staff and families alike spoke to the importance of compassion, international cooperation, and sustained support for vulnerable children affected by conflict.

CHI remains committed to working with partners to provide specialist paediatric care to children in need and to advocating for the protection of children’s health in humanitarian crises.

The Ambassador said:

"The Palestinian children receiving medical care and support here in Ireland are doing well and we can see how happy they are in these safe hands.

“We are incredibly grateful to CHI, HSE, and their wonderful staff, as well as of course the Government of Ireland and Irish people for all they are doing to support the Palestinian people.”

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

“Our staff feel an enormous sense of responsibility and pride in being able to help children and families who have fled war. These missions are emotionally challenging, but they reflect the very best of paediatric healthcare and compassion without borders. Working alongside international and national partners, we are playing our part as a children’s health service to ensure that, even in the midst of conflict, children can access the care, safety and dignity they deserve.”

Organisations involved in the Medical Evacuation of Palestinian children:

• The Irish Government
• Children’s Health Ireland
• EU ERCC
• EU Member States
• HSE
• Critical Care Retrieval Service
• National Ambulance Service
• National Social Inclusion
• SafetyNet
• Irish Red Cross
• Palestinian Ambassador
• Primary care