Photograph: Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty ImagesSeven “very sick” Palestinian children who need “urgent” treatment arrived in Ireland on Friday night, as part of a fifth medical evacuation mission to treat critically ill children from Gaza in Irish hospitals. Teams from Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) will now assess the children before they start treatment, including life-saving and life-changing procedures. A total of 27 critically sick children have been brought to Ireland since the Government first agreed to start carrying out medical evacuation missions for up to 30 children in September 2024. Due to continuing pressures on Ireland’s scoliosis waiting lists, Ireland is not able to accept children from Gaza who need spinal surgeries. HSE national medical evacuation co-ordinator Dr Ciaran Browne said the children who were evacuated to Ireland “are still very sick and in need of urgent treatment”.

Source: The Irish Times February 07, 2026 21:49 UTC