Press Release: Sunday 8 February 2026
Minister for Health and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade confirm arrival of children from Gaza for healthcare
The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD have today confirmed the arrival in Ireland of a group of seven Palestinian children to receive healthcare treatment here. This is the fifth 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.
The children and accompanying family members 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.
They will undergo medical assessments over the coming days with teams from Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), co-ordinated by the Inclusion Health Service at CHI Temple Street. CHI will continue to provide long-term care for these patients and over time, many will be discharged or transferred to other hospitals to continue on an out-patient basis.
A total of 27 children from Gaza have now been brought to Ireland for medical treatment.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
“This has been a lengthy and complex operation, with several government departments collaborating with our international partners. I want to commend everyone involved for their commitment, and to express my gratitude to the medical teams at CHI whose expertise is saving and improving the lives of children evacuated from Gaza.
“I wish the seven patients and their families well as they begin their treatment here.”
Minister McEntee said:
“The children who have arrived in Ireland have endured an unimaginable ordeal, and they urgently need specialist medical care. I am deeply relieved that they can now receive that care here in Ireland.
“During my recent visit to Jordan, I was honoured to meet those working tirelessly to make these evacuations possible, often in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances. I want to sincerely thank our international partners, particularly Jordan and Norway, for their vital support, and to pay tribute to our embassy teams in Israel, Palestine and Jordan, whose dedication and hard work have been central to ensuring these children can finally access the care they so desperately need.”
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.
HSE National Medical Evacuation Coordinator Dr Ciaran Browne, said:
“The children we evacuated today are still very sick and in need of urgent treatment. We immediately commenced treatment for some of the children even before they have arrived in Ireland. We know that they will have a long road to recovery but they will receive world class care at CHI.”
Head of International and Migration, Irish Red Cross, Niall O’Keeffe, said:
“We at the Irish Red Cross have seen first-hand the positive impact of the Medevac programme on the children who have already come here over the past 15 months for medical treatment. It truly is life changing. Gaza has moved from the headlines but the situation remains catastrophic and the humanitarian need immense. We are proud to work with Government, Children’s Health Ireland and all the other partners involved, to enable more sick children to get the healthcare and support they so badly need.
“The Irish Red Cross team will stand side by side with the children and their families helping them settle into their new life here in Ireland. We do this by providing practical support including accommodation, transport to medical appointments and Arabic-speaking caseworkers, as well as emotional care and support as they recover and rebuild their lives. These children, and their families, have been through so much. We will do all we can to help them heal from their truly traumatic experiences and regain their health and emotional strength.”
This complex medical evacuation required significant coordination and collaboration with the Irish Embassies in Jordan and Ramallah, Irish Red Cross, relevant authorities in the region, the Jordanian Red Crescent, WHO, Médecins sans Frontières, 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 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.