The first group of critically ill and injured Palestinian children, who have endured months of conflict and deprivation in Gaza, have now left the besieged territory and are expected to arrive in the United Kingdom within days for lifesaving NHS treatment. This unprecedented government-led evacuation, confirmed by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in an interview with The Mirror, marks a significant humanitarian intervention by the UK as Gaza’s health system teeters on the brink of collapse.
According to BBC News, the operation is being coordinated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Home Office, and the Department of Health. While the precise number of children in the first group remains unconfirmed, officials indicate it is likely between 30 and 50. Each child may be accompanied by family members if necessary, ensuring that vulnerable young patients are not separated from their loved ones during this traumatic journey.
“We are working to get injured children out of Gaza, to be able to help them in the UK. The first group of children now have left Gaza and are on the way, travelling now to the UK,” Cooper told The Mirror. She added, “It’s a lot of diplomatic work in order to help them actually leave Gaza and then also travel through other countries in order to be able to get to the UK. But that work is underway and I’m determined to make sure that we can do our bit to help those injured families and also to help students get into their courses this autumn.”
Before their arrival in Britain, the children are being cared for by medics in another country in the region, providing a critical stopgap as they await further treatment. As the government’s scheme gets underway, biometric data for the children and accompanying family members is being collected in this third country, a step intended to streamline entry into the UK and ensure the safety and security of all involved.
This marks the first time that Palestinian children have been brought to the UK for NHS treatment as part of a government-coordinated initiative during the current conflict. In the past, a handful of Gazan children have reached Britain through the efforts of Project Pure Hope, a charity founded by volunteer medical professionals. However, those private evacuations required Israeli government approval and lacked the scale and official backing of the current operation.
The dire need for such intervention is underscored by the catastrophic state of Gaza’s healthcare system. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization warned that the territory’s hospitals and clinics had been stretched “beyond breaking point” as a result of the ongoing Israeli offensive. The situation has been exacerbated by a severe shortage of medical supplies, electricity, and safe passage for patients, especially those with chronic conditions or life-threatening injuries.
Since October 7, 2023, the conflict has exacted a devastating toll on Gaza’s children. The UN charity UNICEF estimates that more than 50,000 children have been killed or injured in the enclave during this period. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, at least 64,803 people have died in Israeli attacks since the start of the military campaign, which was launched in response to a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been compounded by a deepening famine. On August 22, 2025, UN-backed global food security experts confirmed that famine had taken hold in Gaza City. Since then, the health ministry reports that at least 142 people have died from starvation and malnutrition across the territory. On Saturday, September 13, 2025, the ministry reported that the bodies of 47 people killed by the Israeli military had arrived at its hospitals over the previous day. While Israel has asserted it is expanding efforts to facilitate aid deliveries and disputes the health ministry’s figures on malnutrition-related deaths, the overall picture remains bleak for civilians trapped in the enclave.
The UK government’s initiative to bring injured Palestinian children to Britain for treatment comes after mounting public and political pressure. Keir Starmer, the Labour leader and now Prime Minister, pledged in July 2025 to act on the issue, stating that the British public was “sickened” by the suffering of Gaza’s children. Last month, the government formally announced a scheme to provide free medical care in the UK for evacuated children, a move welcomed by humanitarian organizations and advocacy groups.
In addition to the medical evacuation of children, the UK is also working to facilitate the entry of Palestinian students who have secured places at British universities for the upcoming autumn term. This effort aims to ensure that young people from Gaza can pursue their education and rebuild their lives, despite the turmoil in their homeland.
Behind the scenes, the diplomatic and logistical challenges have been immense. As Cooper noted, “it was a lot of diplomatic work in order to help them actually leave Gaza.” The process has required coordination not just with international agencies such as the World Health Organization, but also with regional governments and, crucially, the Israeli authorities, who must give the green light for any evacuation from Gaza.
For many of the children and families involved, this journey represents a rare glimmer of hope after months of fear, hunger, and uncertainty. The UK’s NHS, renowned for its expertise in pediatric care, will now be tasked with treating injuries and illnesses that would have been fatal in Gaza’s shattered hospitals. Medical teams in Britain are preparing to receive the new arrivals, with specialist support on hand to address both the physical and psychological scars of war.
While the government’s operation has been broadly welcomed, some critics argue that it is only a small step in addressing the wider humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. Aid organizations continue to call for a sustained ceasefire, unfettered access for humanitarian supplies, and a long-term solution to the conflict that has left so many children in desperate need.
Still, as the first group of young patients makes its way towards safety, there is a palpable sense of relief among families and supporters. For these children, the journey to the UK is more than a medical evacuation—it is a lifeline, and perhaps the first step toward healing after unimaginable loss.
The coming days will see the arrival of these children on British soil, where they will receive the urgent care they need. Their stories, shaped by war but now touched by international compassion, remind the world of the enduring cost of conflict—and the power of collective action to save lives, even in the darkest of times.