Sick children from Gaza will be taken to Britain for NHS treatment under new plans.
The Government will reveal proposals in the coming weeks to bring up to 300 gravely ill youngsters from Gaza to receive NHS care, a high-ranking Whitehall insider has disclosed.
Each evacuated minor will travel with a parent or guardian, potentially accompanied by siblings when required.
The initiative will function alongside efforts by Project Pure Hope, an organisation established by volunteer healthcare workers to transport unwell and wounded Palestinian minors to Britain for medical attention.
Senior cabinet members including David Lammy, Yvette Cooper and Wes Streeting have collaborated on developing the evacuation programme.
The scheme represents a significant expansion of current efforts, as currently three children have secured medical entry permits since hostilities began in October 2023.
Project Pure Hope, financed through charitable contributions, has spent months securing approvals for the three children who have arrived so far.
Medical volunteers created the organisation specifically to facilitate treatment for Palestinian children requiring specialist care.
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Sick children from Gaza will be taken to Britain for NHS treatment under new plans
The limited numbers contrast sharply with the scale of need.
The UN children’s agency Unicef reports 50,000 minors have suffered death or injury during the conflict.
Hamas-controlled health ministry data indicates approximately 7,000 patients have left Gaza for medical treatment, including 5,000 children.
The majority have travelled to Egypt, Qatar and the UAE, whilst several European nations have accepted around 200 children between them.
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Palestinians carry aid supplies that entered Gaza through Israel
The Foreign Secretary addressed concerns about Palestinian state recognition following his return from UN discussions on a two-state solution in New York where he said: “This was a historic step forward not just for those who believe in the just cause of Palestinian statehood, but all those who reject Hamas terrorism and support Israel’s security.”
Lammy emphasised that whilst Hamas remained “rightly pariahs who can have no role in Gaza’s future,” they did not represent the Palestinian people.
He added: “The UK position on recognition is part of this co-ordinated international effort. It must begin with an immediate ceasefire that frees the hostages and ends the agony of their families, and which lifts the inhumane aid restrictions. The Israeli government’s drip-feeding of aid has horrified the world.
“Britain is working intensely with Jordan and other partners to get aid into Gaza by air and land — but only with the lifting of Israeli restrictions can we meet the desperate need at scale.
“Since the horrors of October 7, we have called for the release of all hostages and for Hamas to play no role in the future of Gaza. Those demands are absolute and unconditional.”
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Each evacuated minor will travel with a parent or guardian, potentially accompanied by siblings when required
The Home Office will conduct appropriate biometric and security screenings prior to departure, with sources suggesting some families may remain permanently in Britain.
Among those already receiving care is 15-year-old Majd al-Shaghnobi, who sustained severe facial and leg injuries from an Israeli tank shell whilst collecting aid in northern Gaza last February.
He arrived last week with his mother and siblings for reconstructive surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Over 100 MPs have endorsed accelerated implementation of the programme, with Labour backbencher Stella Creasy coordinating parliamentary support.
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The UN children’s agency Unicef reports 50,000 minors have suffered death or injury during the conflict
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Hamas-controlled health ministry data indicates approximately 7,000 patients have left Gaza for medical treatment, including 5,000 children
Keir Starmer said last week that the UK was “urgently accelerating” efforts to bring children over for treatment.
A Government spokesperson said: “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.
“We are working at pace to do so as quickly as possible, with further details to be set out in due course.”
It comes as the Prime Minister committed to recognise a Palestinian state in September if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire and signs up to a long-term peace process over the next two months.
