King Charles to award NHS heroes for humanitarian service

King Charles is set to recognize and honour National Health Service (NHS) medics who have provided lifesaving care in Gaza amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The monarch will award 14 frontline medical responders with the newly established Humanitarian Medal, acknowledging their work with the British emergency charity UK-Med. The awards will be presented during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on February 18.

UK-Med released a statement emphasizing that the event will not only highlight the UK's commitment to medical humanitarianism but also shed light on the worsening medical crisis in Gaza.

"Hospitals in Gaza remain overwhelmed, and medical supplies are critically low," the charity stated.

Among the honourees is Dr. Matthew Newport, 37, an NHS anaesthetist from Ramsbottom, Lancashire, who has been deployed to Gaza five times in the past year.

"The devastation in Gaza is heartbreaking, and the scale of need is overwhelming," Dr. Newport told Express.

"This medal is an honour, but the real recognition must go to the local medics who have been working around the clock under impossible conditions," he added.

UK-Med currently employs 500 Palestinian staff members in Gaza, supported by a small international team—primarily made up of NHS medics and volunteers.

What is UK-Med?

UK-Med is a UK-based medical emergency response charity that provides urgent healthcare assistance in disaster zones and conflict-affected areas worldwide. The organization deploys highly trained medics, doctors, and humanitarian workers to support crisis-hit regions, offering medical relief where it is needed most.

RELATED: Palace releases King Charles strong message to Canada after Trump's warning