Sharjah Charity International has announced its support for a UAE humanitarian initiative that will provide prosthetic limbs to people injured in Gaza, strengthening regional efforts to address the growing need for amputee rehabilitation and assistive technology.
The initiative, called “Step of Hope,” was launched through a partnership between Operation Gallant Knight 3 and Sharjah Charity International. The announcement was made during a press conference held at Al Qasimia University in Sharjah. The programme is being carried out under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi.
According to Mohamed Al Sharif, spokesperson for Operation Gallant Knight 3, the initiative will provide around 50 prosthetic limbs for 50 people who lost limbs in Gaza. He said charitable organisations inside and outside the UAE have shown strong interest in joining the programme, reflecting the positive response to the prosthetic care effort.
For the prosthetics and orthotics community across the Middle East, the initiative highlights one of the most urgent rehabilitation needs emerging from the war in Gaza: long-term care for people living with limb loss. A prosthetic limb is not a one-time intervention. It requires assessment, measurement, socket fitting, component selection, alignment, gait training, follow-up, repairs and future replacement as the user’s condition and life circumstances change.
This is especially important in conflict-related amputations, where injuries may be complex and accompanied by soft tissue damage, infection risk, pain, psychological trauma and disruption to normal rehabilitation pathways. Children and young people also require repeated follow-up because they outgrow prosthetic devices quickly.
The Step of Hope initiative is therefore significant not only because of the number of prosthetic limbs being provided, but because it places prosthetic rehabilitation within a wider humanitarian response. Operation Gallant Knight 3 was launched in November 2023 on the directives of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and continues to support Palestinians affected by the crisis in Gaza.
Sharjah24 reported that Al Sharif placed the UAE’s humanitarian contribution through these operations at more than $3.1 billion, representing more than 46% of global aid to Gaza. He said the UAE would continue standing by Palestinians in Gaza until the crisis ends.
For IMEA CPO readers, the announcement also raises wider questions about regional capacity in prosthetics and orthotics. Humanitarian prosthetic programmes require more than funding and components. They depend on trained prosthetists, rehabilitation teams, supply chains, clinical facilities and long-term systems for maintenance and continuity of care.
As the number of people requiring prosthetic and orthotic services grows across conflict-affected regions, initiatives like Step of Hope demonstrate the importance of coordinated partnerships between charities, governments, hospitals, rehabilitation professionals and specialist service providers.
The immediate goal is clear: to help 50 people in Gaza take their next steps with prosthetic support. The longer-term challenge is to ensure that amputees affected by conflict receive ongoing rehabilitation, dignity and the opportunity to return to education, work, family life and community participation.
- Sharjah24 report: SCI supports UAE effort to provide Gaza 50 prosthetics
- Sharjah Charity International official website
- Operation Gallant Knight 3 news via Emirates News Agency
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- WHO: Rehabilitation
- ICRC: Physical rehabilitation programme
- ISPO: International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics