More than 100 critically ill and injured children from Gaza could soon be flown to the United Kingdom for urgent medical care under a new government-backed initiative.
The scheme, announced this week, will offer life-saving NHS treatment to young patients suffering due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Campaigners and charities welcomed the decision but warned that delays could cost lives. Some children previously listed for evacuation had already died while waiting for approval, according to UK-based charity Project Pure Hope (PPH).
Under the current private arrangements, PPH has already managed to bring three children to Britain this year for medical intervention. The upcoming publicly funded scheme is expected to run alongside these efforts, using the existing model as a blueprint.
The decision comes amid worsening conditions in Gaza, where severe shortages of food, medicine, and medical infrastructure have been reported due to the continuing blockade. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 12,000 patients in Gaza are in urgent need of evacuation. Humanitarian groups have repeatedly called on wealthier nations to step up their support.
Charities estimate that around 100 children currently on waiting lists could be eligible for relocation to the UK, each accompanied by a guardian and, in some cases, siblings. PPH has identified between 30 and 50 children in immediate need, while another charity, Children Not Numbers (CNN), is supporting 60 children requiring urgent treatment.
Healthcare professionals and volunteers across the UK have expressed a willingness to contribute time and resources. With the UK boasting both a public NHS and a thriving private healthcare system, campaigners believe that the country is well-placed to offer care to a larger number of patients compared to its international counterparts. Countries including Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, and several in Europe and North America have already provided safe passage to thousands of patients from Gaza.
Despite the new scheme, some children have already been transferred to other countries due to bureaucratic delays. One child suffering severe burns was taken to Italy in June, while others have been sent to the UAE and Jordan with the help of UK charities.
CNN recently launched legal action against the Home Office and the Foreign Office, criticising the government’s previous refusal to provide evacuations despite growing international pressure. Since November last year, 71 children supported by CNN are reported to have died due to a lack of access to timely medical intervention.
The charity confirmed that paperwork and medical documentation for 60 critically ill children are ready and awaiting final approval from Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (Cogat). However, frequent rejections have made the process difficult. Médecins Sans Frontières has previously urged Israeli authorities to allow more patients to leave Gaza and to expedite approvals for critical cases.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office confirmed that a cross-government taskforce is working to deliver the new evacuation scheme as quickly as possible. The UK plans to bring children to its hospitals where NHS specialist care is the most appropriate solution for their recovery.
With the infrastructure now in place and lessons learned from previous cases, campaigners are urging the government to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life.
