London: A cross-party group of MPs has written to the government urging them to bring sick and injured children from Gaza to the UK “without delay” for treatment. In their letter to senior ministers, 96 MPs emphasized that these children are at risk of imminent death and insisted that any barriers to their evacuation be removed.
According to BBC, the MPs warned that the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip has been “decimated” and called for a timeline for evacuations, as well as adequate funding. They urged that evacuations be “solely based on clinical necessity and individual case assessment,” without consideration of political, reputational, or financial interests. Furthermore, the letter advocated for the option of asylum or resettlement in the UK for children and their families once treatment is completed.
The MPs also questioned the practicality of biometric checks for children and carers before evacuation, as earlier stated by the Home Office. The government had previously asserted that plans to evacuate seriously ill or injured children from Gaza to the UK were being carried out “at pace,” though an exact number of evacuees has not been specified. It is estimated to be a few hundred.
The UK has been providing funds for injured Gazans to be treated in regional hospitals and has collaborated with Jordan to airdrop aid into Gaza. The UK government has also pressed Israel to allow more aid through land routes. A government spokesperson stated, “We are accelerating plans to evacuate 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.” They mentioned that a cross-party “taskforce” is working to implement the scheme.
Liz Harding of MSF UK expressed support for the letter to the BBC, emphasizing the need for the UK to act on its commitment by establishing a dedicated, publicly funded pathway based on clinical need, rather than bureaucracy. She also called for the waiver of the UK’s biometrics visa requirements, stating, “Every delay costs lives.”
Other countries have already been evacuating people from Gaza for medical treatment. Italy, for instance, has transferred over 180 children and adults since the war began. Recently, a 20-year-old Gazan woman brought to Pisa for treatment unfortunately died in hospital, highlighting the urgency of timely evacuations.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated a campaign in Gaza following a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostage situations. Israel has faced growing criticism over the 22-month-long conflict with Hamas, with UN-backed experts warning of widespread famine in Gaza.
Amidst these developments, an international group of former leaders, “The Elders,” recently labeled the conflict an “unfolding genocide” and accused Israel of causing famine. Israel refutes these accusations, maintaining that its forces target terrorists and not civilians, and holds Hamas accountable for the suffering in Gaza. More than 60,000 people have reportedly been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.