Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper recently visited courageous young individuals who were evacuated from Gaza for urgent medical treatment.
One of the children, Mohammed, aged 8, had his leg amputated due to injuries sustained from a bombing incident in Khan Younis. After initial treatment at a Jordanian field hospital in Gaza, he was transported to Amman for further care, where he received a prosthetic leg and underwent a three-month rehabilitation period to regain his ability to walk. Despite the challenges, Mohammed can now walk, run, and climb stairs, impressing Ms. Cooper during her visit to the Specialty Hospital in Amman.
Expressing admiration for Mohammed’s bravery, Ms. Cooper encouraged his aspiration to become a policeman like his father. The young boy, now engaging in online studies, including his favorite subjects and following his beloved football team, Real Madrid, shared his ambitions with the Foreign Secretary.
Additionally, Ms. Cooper interacted with sisters Sarraa, 17, and Sara, 15, who faced severe injuries during a bombing incident in December 2024. Trapped under rubble for over an hour, they were eventually rescued and received medical attention in Gaza before being evacuated to Jordan for further treatment.
Sarraa underwent multiple surgeries, including plastic surgery on her forehead and eye, while Sara, who was initially paralyzed, has shown improvement in her upper body mobility and can now use a wheelchair. Dr. Osama Hamed, a surgeon who has been providing medical assistance in Gaza, highlighted the dire conditions in the region, emphasizing the lack of resources and the challenges faced by healthcare providers.
Ms. Cooper shared the UK’s commitment to aiding in the reconstruction of Gaza’s healthcare system, expressing readiness to accommodate more patients for NHS treatment. Collaborative efforts with other countries, including Saudi Arabia and Germany, are being explored to enhance healthcare support in Gaza and facilitate the restoration of essential services.
The initiative aims to not only continue medical evacuations but also focus on rebuilding Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure for long-term sustainability.