UAE Launches ‘Step of Hope’ to Provide Prosthetic Limbs to Gaza War Victims

New programme expands UAE’s prosthetics and rehabilitation efforts for Palestinians who lost limbs in the war

The UAE has launched “Step of Hope,” a new integrated programme to expand its prosthetics and rehabilitation support for Palestinians who have lost limbs during the war in Gaza.

The initiative, announced as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, builds on prosthetics work that began in February 2024, when the UAE Field Hospital in Gaza opened a dedicated limb centre. The first phase of the new programme will run out of the UAE Floating Hospital in Al Arish, Egypt.

Addressing a Key Challenge: Displacement

Dr Yusuf Al Nuaimi, a physiotherapy and medical rehabilitation specialist, said the programme is being carried out under the direct guidance of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It rests on three pillars: the Emirati field hospital in Gaza, the floating hospital in Al Arish, and a medical evacuation programme for critical cases. Since opening in February 2024, the floating hospital has provided more than 29,000 medical services and carried out over 6,000 surgeries.

Al Nuaimi explained that one of the biggest obstacles to earlier prosthetics efforts was reaching patients who had been displaced within Gaza after their measurements were taken but before their prosthetics were finished. Because of this, the new phase is starting in Al Arish, where access to patients is more reliable.

How the Programme Works

In its first phase, the programme aims to fit 30 to 40 upper and lower limb prosthetics for patients currently in Al Arish and other Egyptian cities. Patients can be reached through a hotline, email, and social media accounts that will be announced soon. Officials expect the number of patients served to grow in later phases.

Each prosthetic limb takes 12 to 18 days to manufacture, with delivery completed within 21 days. While waiting, patients receive a temporary prosthetic and begin muscle-strengthening sessions so rehabilitation can start right away. The programme also includes three months of free follow-up care and socket adjustments, along with psychological and social support.

Three Phases of Expansion

The second phase will introduce 3D imaging technology inside Gaza itself. Medical teams will scan a patient’s residual limb remotely and send the data digitally to the floating hospital, where the prosthetic will be manufactured before being delivered back to the patient in Gaza.

The third phase envisions building dedicated manufacturing centres inside Gaza, along with warehouses for raw materials and medical equipment.

Through the “Engineering of Hope” initiative, four prosthetic models have been approved, covering above- and below-elbow designs for upper limbs and above- and below-knee designs for lower limbs. Above-elbow prosthetics require joints at the elbow and wrist, while above-knee prosthetics require joints at the knee and ankle. Components are sourced from manufacturers in Germany, the United States, and Britain, matching the standard used for patients treated in the UAE.

Partners and Expertise

Mohammed Sharif, who oversees Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, said the new effort builds on earlier prosthetics work but is now more comprehensive. He noted that the team is exploring the possibility of setting up a prosthetics workshop inside Gaza to make delivery easier. The programme’s strategic partner is the International Charity Organisation, founded in Ajman in 1984, with other charitable groups expected to join. Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 is covering the full cost of funding and raw materials.

Dr Wael Adib of the Dynamic Prosthetics Centre in Abu Dhabi, which has operated for more than 25 years, said the scale of this campaign is larger than previous efforts. He noted that the patients most in need of prosthetics fall into two groups: young people with injuries from trauma, and older patients dealing with complications from diabetes. His team has already fitted prosthetics for patients evacuated to the UAE and is preparing to join field teams travelling to Al Arish, and eventually Gaza.

News courtesy: Khaleej times