The initial financial contribution to the project will be £140,000 (approximately QAR 647,200), aimed at funding training by the British medical training agency, David Nott Foundation.
Qatar and the United Kingdom are joining efforts to provide Palestinians evacuated from Gaza to Doha with comprehensive care, the Gulf state’s news agency (QNA) reported on Wednesday.
Under the joint initiative, Doha and London will train those providing evacuees with health, psychological and social care as part of wider efforts to assist Palestinians from Gaza.
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah Al Khater told QNA that the partnership “reflects the depth of the strategic relations” between Doha and London.
The Palestinians in Doha were evacuated under an initiative by Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to sponsor 3,000 orphans and treat 1,500 injured Palestinians from the Strip.
Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon had presented the initiative on Monday during his visit to the Gulf state, the British embassy said in a statement at the time.
The initial financial contribution to the project will be £140,000 (around QAR 647,200), aimed at funding training by British medical training agency, David Nott Foundation, to 50 doctors and practitioners, the statement added.
Al Khater said the first stage will focus on training 50 doctors and health practitioners in Doha.
The British entity will train medics with the use of the latest technology, including Virtual Reality, in order to ensure they gain experience about different scenarios.
Aside from physical health, the training will cover the mental health needs of the evacuees, especially as they witnessed the brutalities of the Israeli war in Gaza. At least one million children in Gaza are in need of mental health and psycho-social support, according to the United Nations.
In February, Qatar and the UK launched a new co-funding initiative for international development cooperation and humanitarian response. Both countries allocated $50 million to “address the most pressing humanitarian and development challenges.”
This followed the first Qatar-UK joint humanitarian aid shipment to Gaza in January under a “ framework of humanitarian and development cooperation.”
Aid delivery has been disrupted since Israel invaded the Egypt-Gaza Rafah Crossing on May 6 under wider plans to invade the city, a move widely criticized by human rights organizations.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 35,647, including more than 15,000 children, while creating a humanitarian catastrophe.
At least 1.1 million people in Gaza are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity, according to the UN’s flash update, published on Monday.
Gaza’s medical sector also collapsed under the complete siege and non-stop attacks on the Strip.
Israeli occupation forces destroyed 155 health facilities in Gaza while killing at least 493 health workers, according to the UN. Only 15 hospitals in Gaza out of an initial 36 are currently partially functioning.
