A group of 30 to 50 critically ill and injured Palestinian children will be evacuated from Gaza to the UK for medical treatment in the coming weeks.
This government-backed operation, coordinated by the Foreign Office, Home Office, and Department of Health, marks a significant step in addressing the healthcare crisis in Gaza.
The children will be selected by the World Health Organization and will travel with family members via a third country, where biometric data will be collected.
The decision comes after a cross-party group of 96 MPs wrote to the government, urging them to bring sick and injured children from Gaza to the UK “without delay”.
The MPs warned that children were at risk of imminent death due to the “decimation” of the healthcare system in Gaza, and any barriers to evacuation should be immediately lifted.
More than 50,000 children have been killed or injured since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, according to Unicef.
Children brought to the UK under the government scheme will be treated on the National Health Service (NHS). Given the challenge of returning children to Gaza, it’s understood some may enter the asylum system after completing treatment.
This development builds on previous efforts, such as Project Pure Hope, a humanitarian initiative that has supported medical care for children affected by the conflict.
In April, two children from Gaza arrived in London for urgent medical treatment, organized by Project Pure Hope and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
The UK has provided funds to support injured Gazans’ treatment in regional hospitals and has worked with Jordan to airdrop aid into the territory.
However, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with the UN warning of widespread malnutrition and experts predicting a “worst-case scenario” of famine.
Israel has denied restricting aid deliveries, blaming the UN and aid agencies for failing to deliver aid effectively.
As the conflict continues, with over 60,000 people killed in Gaza since the Israeli military operation began, international efforts to provide humanitarian aid and medical treatment to those in need remain crucial.