A group of critically ill and injured children have been brought from Gaza to the UK for urgent NHS medical treatment, the Government has announced.
The children have arrived in the UK along with their immediate families, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it had supported the medical evacuations of 10 “critical” children from Gaza to the UK.
These children were evacuated with 50 companions, the WHO said.
Last week, @WHO supported the medical evacuations of critical patients from #Gaza to:
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) September 16, 2025
* the UK: 10 child patients and 50 companions
* Türkiye: 1 adult patient and 1 companion
* Jordan: 19 child patients and 47 companions
We are deeply grateful to the governments of 🇬🇧, 🇹🇷… pic.twitter.com/UQUPuKq4Ew
The Government said it is working to make sure families receive “appropriate support” during their stay.
More children are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
On Monday it was reported two children and their families arrived in Scotland from Gaza for treatment.
A small number of children have already been brought to the UK for specialist medical care through an initiative by Project Pure Hope, and they are being treated privately.
A cross-government taskforce has been working over recent weeks to co-ordinate the evacuation of the latest children, with officials describing it as a “complex humanitarian operation”.
Officials said the children and their immediate family members were evacuated from Gaza to Jordan, where they were supported by British Embassy staff and “robust” security checks were undertaken prior to their arrival into the UK.
It comes as the Government said it is pushing Israel to ensure better protection for healthcare workers and medical infrastructure in Gaza.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “No-one can fail to be distressed by the devastating impact the war has had on the children of Gaza, and I cannot imagine the fear and anguish their families have endured.
“It is a soul-destroying situation that compels us to act.
“Every child deserves the chance to heal, to play, to simply be able to dream again.
“These young patients have witnessed horrors no child should ever see, but this marks the start of their journey towards recovery.
“This reflects the very best of our NHS values – compassion, care and expertise when it matters most.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Children are too often the innocent victims of war.
“In Gaza, where the healthcare system has been decimated and hospitals are no longer functioning, there are severely ill children unable to get the medical care they need to survive.
“As we welcome the first group of children to the UK for urgent treatment, their arrival reflects our determined commitment to humanitarian action and the power of international co-operation.
“We continue to call for the protection of medical infrastructure and health workers in Gaza, and for a huge increase in medicines and supplies to be allowed in.
“The Government is grateful to all partners who have assisted this operation, including the World Health Organisation for their support with the evacuation process, the government of Jordan and Royal Jordanian for facilitating safe transit, and the UK-Emergency Medical Team and NHS clinical teams for their dedication in providing life-saving medical care to these young patients.”
More than 50,000 children are estimated to have been killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023, according to Unicef.
The charity has also sounded the alarm over the threat of malnutrition facing children in the war-torn region, saying more than 10,000 children have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in the past two months.
It has also said it is “gravely concerned” about risks faced by pre-term babies in incubators, children in intensive care units, and children with disabilities.
Professor Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “We’re relieved to finally see sick and injured children from Gaza arriving in the UK for treatment and nursing staff across our NHS stand ready to provide the best possible care.
“We have repeatedly called for children to be brought to safety and this must be just the beginning, with no further delays to evacuations.
“The deliberate targeting of healthcare facilities and healthcare workers means nearly all the hospitals in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged by attacks. This must stop.
“Nursing staff everywhere must be able to work without the threat of violence or obstruction to the delivery of care.”
