The UK government is accelerating plans to evacuate seriously ill and injured children from Gaza for life-saving medical treatment in Britain. According to the Sunday Times, up to 300 children could be brought to the UK under the new scheme, with each accompanied by a parent or guardian.
While a precise number has not been confirmed, the plan marks a significant policy shift. Until now, the UK government had not directly coordinated medical evacuations from Gaza during the ongoing conflict, despite growing calls for action.
The move comes after criticism in a recent Foreign Affairs Committee report, which stated the government had previously declined to coordinate the necessary logistics including travel permits, medical visas, and safe transport. In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledged to “urgently accelerate efforts” to bring critically injured children to the UK.
This initiative follows the work of Project Pure Hope, a British volunteer-led organisation that has privately funded the treatment of several Gazan children. Most recently, 15-year-old Majd al-Shagnobi was brought to the UK for complex facial reconstructive surgery after being injured by an Israeli tank shell. His evacuation was coordinated with the US-based NGO Kinder Relief.
Project Pure Hope has also facilitated the treatment of two young girls, Rama and Ghena, who were brought to the UK earlier this year for operations funded by private donations. The group welcomed the government’s announcement, offering to share its experience to help implement the evacuation scheme swiftly and effectively.
Meanwhile, medics continue to warn of acute shortages of food and medicine in Gaza. Despite partial lifting of Israel’s blockade, humanitarian agencies say the flow of aid remains inadequate. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that 93 children have died from malnutrition.
Since the war began in October 2023, over 50,000 children have been killed or injured, according to UNICEF. The UK has funded regional medical support and partnered with Jordan to airdrop aid, but the new plan reflects a direct and compassionate intervention.
With the government now working “at pace,” the first group of children is expected to arrive in the UK within weeks, offering a glimmer of hope amid a devastating humanitarian crisis.
