Evacuation of Critically Ill Palestinian Children from Gaza: A Case Study

Mariam Sabbah, a 10-year-old Palestinian girl who lost her arm due to an Israeli missile strike in Gaza, arrived in the UK on Tuesday for specialized medical treatment. Accompanied by her mother, Fatma Salman, and two brothers, Mariam was welcomed at Heathrow Airport by a crowd bearing gifts and balloons. “We’re happy that we’re here, we never thought we would actually be here in the UK,” Salman stated, reflecting the family's relief and excitement. Mariam's injury occurred when a missile struck their home in Deir al-Balah, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

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Mariam is among over 11,000 patients evacuated from Gaza, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), which estimates that 18,500 patients urgently need medical care unavailable in the territory. The UK government had announced a medical evacuation scheme in 2025, but Mariam's arrival was facilitated through private funding from the US-based NGO FAJR Global and the UK charity Project Pure Hope (PPH). PPH has been instrumental in evacuating patients and their families, serving as a model for the government scheme.

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The evacuation process has faced significant hurdles, particularly due to the ongoing conflict and the closure of border crossings. Mosab Nasser, co-founder of FAJR Global, noted that evacuations have been halted since the onset of the war on Iran, complicating efforts to assist those in need. The UK government’s scheme relies on the WHO to identify priority cases, but the recent suspension of medical evacuations by the WHO following the death of a contracted worker has raised concerns about the future of these efforts.

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Aid organizations have urged the UK government to enhance its evacuation efforts and exert pressure on Israeli authorities to allow unrestricted humanitarian access. Nasser emphasized the need for urgent action to prevent further loss of life, stating, “Without urgent action to uphold international law, we will see more preventable illness and deaths.” Since October 2023, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar have been the leading countries in facilitating medical evacuations from Gaza, with the UK government scheme reportedly evacuating only 50 children and their families to date.

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Omar Din, co-founder of PPH, expressed gratitude for the children already evacuated but called for the UK to increase its humanitarian efforts. He remarked, “It would be great for the UK in its tradition of being a charitable and humanitarian-focused country to do more of this work.” This sentiment echoes the broader call for nations to respond more robustly to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, similar to their responses to other international emergencies.

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• “We’re happy that we’re here, we never thought we would actually be here in the UK,” — Fatma Salman, Mother of Mariam Sabbah

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• “Because of the war on Iran and the closure of all the border crossings with Gaza, evacuations have actually been halted for a long time,” — Mosab Nasser, Co-founder of FAJR Global

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• “Without urgent action to uphold international law, we will see more preventable illness and deaths.” — Mosab Nasser, Co-founder of FAJR Global

The Guardian

• “I think it would be great for the UK in its tradition of being a charitable and humanitarian-focused country to do more of this work.” — Omar Din, Co-founder of Project Pure Hope

The Guardian

The situation remains critical as the international community grapples with the complexities of providing humanitarian aid amidst ongoing conflict.

The Guardian