The UAE Floating Hospital in Al Arish, Egypt, has provided prosthetic limbs to another 42 Palestinian amputees, bringing the total number of people supported through the Step of Hope programme to 198.
The programme forms part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the UAE’s wider humanitarian response supporting Palestinians affected by the conflict in Gaza. The latest group represents an important expansion of a programme designed to combine prosthetic fitting with physical rehabilitation, mobility training and continuing medical care. wam.ae
An integrated prosthetic rehabilitation programme
Step of Hope was launched in June 2026 to provide upper- and lower-limb prosthetic care to Palestinians who had experienced amputation during the continuing crisis in Gaza.
Rather than treating the delivery of a prosthesis as a single intervention, the programme follows an integrated pathway that includes:
- Medical and functional assessment
- Prosthetic manufacture and fitting
- Physiotherapy and mobility rehabilitation
- Individualised treatment planning
- Adaptation and gait training
- Continuing medical follow-up
The clinical team develops a rehabilitation plan according to each beneficiary’s health, amputation level and functional condition. This is particularly important for people whose injuries may be accompanied by fractures, soft-tissue damage, weakness, pain or psychological trauma.
The objective extends beyond providing a device. The programme aims to help beneficiaries use their prostheses safely, recover functional independence and resume essential daily activities.
Step of Hope reaches 198 beneficiaries
The latest fitting phase reflects the rapid development of the initiative since its launch.
The Emirates News Agency previously reported that 51 Palestinian amputees had received prosthetic limbs by late July. A further phase supported 21 people and brought the cumulative figure to 72 in August, before the programme continued to expand. wam.ae
The new total of 198 beneficiaries demonstrates the scale of the clinical and logistical effort required to assess, manufacture, fit and rehabilitate a growing population of people with limb loss.
For prosthetists, orthotists and rehabilitation professionals, the programme also underlines the importance of maintaining continuity between surgical care, residual-limb management, prosthetic provision and physical rehabilitation.
A prosthesis alone cannot resolve every consequence of limb loss. Successful rehabilitation may require wound management, prevention of contractures, strengthening, balance training, gait education, assistive devices, maintenance services and long-term access to replacement components.
Seven UAE organisations support the initiative
Step of Hope is supported by seven UAE humanitarian and social organisations:
- International Charity Organisation
- Sharjah Charity International
- The Big Heart Foundation
- Dar Al Ber Society
- Zayed Authority for People of Determination
- Ma’an – Authority of Social Contribution
- Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Humanitarian and Charitable Works
Their combined support enables the programme to bring together funding, specialist healthcare, prosthetic production and rehabilitation services within a coordinated humanitarian framework. sharjah24.ae
This partnership model is particularly relevant to large-scale rehabilitation emergencies. Sustainable prosthetic provision requires more than donated components: it depends on clinical personnel, materials, workshop capacity, physiotherapy, transport, accommodation, follow-up and systems for repairs and replacement.
Rehabilitation needs will continue
The UAE Floating Hospital has become an important treatment point for Palestinian patients evacuated to Egypt. By May 2026, the hospital had reportedly delivered more than 29,000 medical treatments and performed over 6,000 surgical procedures since beginning operations. wam.ae
For people with amputations, however, the first prosthetic fitting is only one stage in a much longer journey. Residual limbs change, particularly during the initial months following surgery, while children require new sockets and components as they grow. Adults may also need repeated adjustments, replacement liners and rehabilitation support as their circumstances evolve.
The Step of Hope programme therefore represents both an immediate humanitarian intervention and the beginning of a longer responsibility. Maintaining outcomes will require access to trained prosthetists and orthotists, physiotherapists, spare parts, socket replacement and community-based support.
For the wider IMEA rehabilitation community, the initiative demonstrates the value of connecting humanitarian funding with a structured clinical pathway. Its lasting impact will ultimately be measured not only by the number of prostheses delivered, but by whether each beneficiary receives the follow-up needed to use the device safely, participate in family and community life, and rebuild personal independence.
- Sharjah24: UAE Floating Hospital Fits Prosthetic Limbs for 42 Palestinians
- Emirates News Agency: Latest Step of Hope Programme Update
- Emirates News Agency: Launch of the Step of Hope Programme
- Emirates News Agency: UAE Floating Hospital Healthcare Programme