Kokcha News Agency: A UK-based law firm, Leigh Day, has taken legal action against the UK Foreign Office and Home Office for refusing to evacuate three critically ill children from Gaza. The law firm argues that the government’s inaction starkly contrasts with its previous efforts to evacuate civilians from conflict zones such as Bosnia and Ukraine.
According to The Guardian, the lawyers representing the children’s families have accused the UK government of failing to consider the lack of medical treatment options available in Gaza before denying the evacuation requests. The law firm highlighted that the UK’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is inconsistent with its past actions in other conflict zones.
Carolin Otto, a lawyer at Leigh Day, stated that the UK government has defended its refusal to evacuate the children by claiming that it supports medical treatment options in and around Gaza and that visas are available for privately funded medical treatment in the UK. However, Otto emphasized that these mechanisms are “woefully inadequate” to meet the urgent needs of the children in Gaza.
The three children, aged between 2 and 5, are suffering from severe medical conditions that require immediate evacuation for life-saving treatment. One child has an arteriovenous malformation (an abnormal connection between arteries and veins) on their cheek, causing daily bleeding and a critical health condition. The other two siblings suffer from cystinosis nephropathy, a chronic kidney disease, and are experiencing kidney failure, with one child now unable to move.
12,500 Patients Await Evacuation
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 12,500 patients in Gaza are in need of medical evacuation. As of April 10, 7,229 patients, including 4,984 children, had been evacuated to countries such as Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, the European Union (EU), and the United States.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which has evacuated 22 patients, has called for more countries to step up and assist in evacuating patients from Gaza.
UK Government’s Response
A UK government spokesperson defended its actions, stating that the UK has provided healthcare to over 500,000 people in Palestinian territories since the start of Israel’s attacks on Gaza. In May, the government announced a £7.5 million package to support medical care in Gaza and the region.
In May, two children were brought to the UK for treatment under the “Project Pure” initiative, marking the first time the UK accepted children from Gaza for medical care. However, this effort was privately funded. Legal documents reveal that the aid organization had requested the government to cover the costs of the evacuation route, but this request was denied.
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