First planeload of wounded Palestinian children from Israel-Hamas arrives in United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi, Nov 18: The first planeload of Palestinian children wounded in the Israel-Hamas war raging in the Gaza Strip reached the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, part of a pledged relief effort by the country to aid 1,000 children.
The group of 15 people, including children and their family members, made it across the Gaza Strip's Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Friday. They then took a flight to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirates.
Young children lay asleep on their moms' laps as the plane finally landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Some of the seats of the plane were removed to make room for the most critically wounded children, who needed to lie on stretchers.
Some of the young had bandaged arms and legs. Others sat quietly next to their parents or relatives. Some traveled alone. The mood was somber and quiet inside the plane. Many of the mothers said they were exhausted.
Twelve-year-old Amr Jandieh, his eyes welling up with tears, said he traveled to the Emirates alone.
"My dad, uncle, and I were talking on the street," Jandieh said. "My uncle was killed. My dad was injured ... all of a sudden a missile hit and I lost consciousness. I woke up and found myself in the hospital."
Mohammed Abu Tabikh, 14, was one of the more seriously wounded children on the plane. He suffered injuries to his neck and spine when a car he was traveling in was hit in a strike.
"When I got injured, I felt shock. And then I stopped moving," he quietly said before being brought carefully out of the plane.
Nabila Mahmoud traveled from the Gaza Strip with her 17-year-old daughter Rawan, who suffered a broken pelvis. Mahmoud said their house was hit by a direct missile and 13 of her family members were killed.
The war, now in its seventh week, was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.
Israel's ongoing retaliatory military strikes on Gaza has so far killed more than 11,400 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities. Another 2,700 have been reported missing, believed buried under rubble.
The UAE a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula also home to Dubai has diplomatic relations with Israel following a 2020 recognition deal.
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Former India hockey coach Michael Nobbs dies
Melbourne (PTI): Former Australian hockey player Michael Nobbs, who coached the Indian men's team at the 2012 London Olympics, has died after a prolonged illness.
He was 72 years old and is survived by his wife Lee Capes, a former Australian women's international and daughter Kaitlin, who is a current Hockeyroos star.
"Hockey Australia extends its deepest condolences to Michael’s family, friends, former teammates, players and all those whose lives and careers were shaped by his contribution to hockey. He will be remembered as a proud Kookaburra, a respected professional, and a servant of the sport," Hockey Australia said in a statement.
Nobbs represented Australia as a defender, playing across the half-back line and at fullback, and was renowned for his reliability, fitness and professionalism. He earned 76 international caps for Australia between 1979 and 1985, scoring one goal, and was a member of one of the strongest eras in Australian men’s hockey, said Hockey Australia on its website in its tribute.
Nobbs was an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
While part of a generation widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest, he consistently held his place through hard work, discipline and trust earned from teammates and coaches, Hockey Australia wrote.
Nobbs took over the coaching of the Indian men's team in 2011 after it had failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008. While India were brilliant in the qualifiers, the team finished last at the London extravaganza which also expedited the Australian coach's sacking.
Apart from India, Nobbs also coached Japan.
