New government plans call for an acceleration of efforts to bring Gazan children to the UK for urgent medical treatment. More wounded and unwell children would be treated by NHS specialists “wherever that is the best option for their care” under the program, which is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
It has been suggested that up to 300 children could arrive in the UK from Gaza. A parent or guardian will accompany each child, as well as siblings if necessary, and the Home Office will carry out biometric and security checks before travel, the Sunday Times has reported. It is understood this will happen “in parallel” with an initiative by Project Pure Hope, a group set up to bring sick and injured Gazan children to the UK privately for treatment.
A representative for the government confirmed: “We are taking forward plans to evacuate more children from Gaza who require urgent medical care, including bringing them to the UK for specialist treatment where that is the best option for their care.” Unicef estimates that more over 50,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023.
So far, three youngsters have arrived in the UK for medical care thanks to the charity Project Pure Hope. Approximately 5,000 people have been evacuated in all, with the majority heading to Egypt and Gulf countries.
Last week, Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK was “urgently accelerating” attempts to send youngsters over for treatment. The government has also offered additional £1 million to assist Egypt’s World Health Organisation in providing medical assistance to Gazans who have been evacuated. The prime minister told the Mirror: “I understand the British people are disgusted by what is going on. “The sights of poverty and misery in Gaza are truly horrific. We are immediately stepping our efforts to remove children from Gaza who require emergency medical care, bringing more Palestinian children to the UK for professional treatment.”
Approximately 100 MPs have signed a letter pressing the administration to expedite the initiative. Labour MP Stella Creasy, who co-ordinated the letter, stated: “The commitment we all share to protect these children remains essential and urgent – more children are damaged or killed every day, making it critical to remove any impediments to boosting the care we provide them. “We stand ready to support whatever it takes to make this happen and ask for your urgent response.” Meanwhile, Project Pure Hope has been campaigning for months to develop a plan that would enable the evacuation of 30 to 50 children. The charity has raised funds to send the children and their families to the UK and cover their medical expenses privately.
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