The French helicopter ship Dixmude, configured to provide hospital support to wounded people from the Gaza Strip, arrived in Egypt’s al-Arish port on Monday and may begin providing care to injured children within the week, the French minister said. Defense Sébastien Lecorny.

It’s about the first western ship to arrive in Egypt since the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel. The ship’s arrival coincides with the agreement to extend the truce.

The temporary truce, which began on Friday and has allowed the release of some of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza as well as Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, has provided an opportunity to provide further aid to the Palestinian enclave and to evacuate injured civilians there.

“We have this ship that was converted into a hospital and it arrived yesterday. It has 40 beds”Lecorni told Europe 1 radio station, adding that he hopes to be able to start accepting patients as early as this week.

Dixmude has been adapted for current needs and has two operating theaters and 40 beds, as well as a pediatric department. It will be able to provide care for minor injuries before they are transferred to hospitals ashore.

Besides, Paris has allocated 50 beds in France for seriously injured or sick children from Gaza, including cancer patients.

Once they receive care at Dixmude the children will be able to be transferred to larger hospitals in Egypt or to field hospitals in Gaza, so that the floating hospital can help as many patients as possible.

On the ship there are 22 doctors, among them 16 surgeons and six paediatricians, according to French officials.

Egypt has reported that can take in sick or injured children from Gaza and has asked France for more specialized equipment and funding, officials noted.

Lecorny said a team of seven French army officers was in contact with Egyptian and Israeli authorities. for the relevant arrangements regarding the operation of Dixmude. Initially, Egypt and Israel will have to approve the operation of the floating hospital, while background checks will have to be carried out on the adults who will accompany the children.