Two critically ill Palestinian children and their families arrived in Scotland on September 15, 2025, marking a significant moment in the UK’s response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The children are the first to benefit from a UK government-coordinated medical evacuation scheme, a move that comes after months of campaigning by British lawmakers, doctors, and advocacy groups. The Scottish government, led by Health Secretary Neil Gray, has committed to supporting up to 20 Palestinian youngsters expected to arrive in Scotland in the coming weeks for life-saving treatment.
The UK’s operation, coordinated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Home Office, and the Department of Health, represents a rare intervention during the Gaza conflict. According to BBC News, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed on September 14 that the ill and injured children had been evacuated from Gaza. While the exact size of the first group was not disclosed officially, reports indicate that between 30 and 50 Palestinian children are included in the initial wave of evacuees.
"No-one should have to suffer the deep trauma and horrendous conditions these children and their families have been living in, and it is right that Scotland welcomes these children and their families," Gray said, as quoted by BBC News. He added, "I am pleased to confirm that the first two patients and their families have now arrived in Scotland where they will receive treatment. Scotland has been pushing the UK government to do more, and it is welcome they have worked with partners to ensure the first group of Gazan child patients and their families arrived safely."
The Scottish government has been working closely with health boards and local authorities to ensure the arriving families have housing and access to "essential support they need." Gray stressed the importance of privacy and comprehensive care for these families, noting, "This is a sensitive process – clearly these child arrivals from Gaza will have complex care needs and their safety and wellbeing are our top priority. It is important these families are afforded with the privacy and support they need and we will not be releasing any other information about the patients."
This UK government effort comes amid a dire situation in Gaza. Since UN-backed global food security experts confirmed a famine in Gaza City on August 22, 2025, at least 142 people have died from starvation and malnutrition across the territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The World Health Organization has described Gaza’s health system as being stretched "beyond breaking point" due to the Israeli military campaign that began in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack resulted in about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, according to official Israeli figures. In the aftermath, Israeli military actions have killed at least 64,803 people in Gaza, again according to the territory’s health ministry.
The UK government’s evacuation scheme is not without its critics or challenges. The National reports that the process has been slowed by the UK’s biometric identification requirements for visa applicants. Since the only biometric data processing office in Gaza has been closed since the war began, evacuees must travel to Jordan or Egypt to complete this step before being allowed to fly to the UK. This requirement has drawn calls from Members of Parliament and campaign groups to be scrapped, arguing that it delays the evacuation of the most urgent cases. Italy and Spain, by contrast, have waived such biometric schemes and taken in dozens of Palestinian patients for treatment. In fact, Italy stepped in to take two child patients in an emergency when the UK was unable to do so due to these requirements.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper acknowledged the diplomatic challenges involved, telling The National, "It was a lot of diplomatic work in order to help them leave Gaza. But 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." The UK government is also working to evacuate students from Gaza who have secured places at British universities, broadening the scope of its humanitarian response.
Prior to this government-coordinated effort, the only Gazan children treated in the UK arrived through private initiatives, such as Project Pure Hope, and were cared for in private facilities funded by donations. According to The National, only three Palestinian patients have been treated in the UK under such arrangements, compared to the thousands evacuated elsewhere. The World Health Organization notes that 7,640 patients have been evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment worldwide, with countries like Italy and Spain leading in numbers.
The UK’s decision to treat Palestinian children on the National Health Service (NHS) followed more than 18 months of advocacy. British doctors and MPs have long argued for a more robust response to the crisis, emphasizing the NHS’s historic role as a provider of care regardless of nationality or circumstance. This sentiment is echoed in Gray’s statement that the current support is "a small step towards restoring some humanity to the catastrophic situation in Gaza as a result of the Israeli government’s actions."
While the UK’s intervention is seen by many as a positive development, some critics argue it remains insufficient given the scale of the crisis. The fact that only two children have arrived so far, with a commitment for up to 20 more, is dwarfed by the scale of need in Gaza, where thousands remain in urgent need of medical attention. Still, supporters of the policy point to the diplomatic and logistical hurdles involved, especially given the ongoing conflict, closed borders, and complex visa requirements.
Israel, for its part, has said it is expanding efforts to facilitate aid deliveries into Gaza and disputes the health ministry’s figures on malnutrition-related deaths. The Israeli government maintains that its campaign is a response to the October 2023 attacks by Hamas and that it is taking steps to minimize civilian suffering. However, international organizations, including the World Health Organization and UN agencies, continue to warn of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the ongoing conflict and blockade.
As Scotland prepares to welcome more Palestinian children and their families in the coming weeks, the story of these first arrivals serves as both a symbol of hope and a stark reminder of the immense human toll of the Gaza conflict. The UK’s evolving response—marked by both compassion and controversy—will remain under close scrutiny as the humanitarian crisis continues to unfold.
For now, the focus in Scotland is on providing a safe haven and world-class care for children who have endured unimaginable trauma. Their arrival offers a glimmer of relief amid a crisis that has pushed Gaza’s health system, and its people, to the brink.
