UK refuses 4-yr-old Gazan boy medical treatment

The UK government has refused to allow a four-year-old boy from Gaza to enter the country for medical treatment. Ahmed lost both his legs and most of his family in an Israeli air strike. He is now receiving care in Italy, and his case has drawn attention to a growing disparity in international responses to injured Palestinian children.

While countries such as Italy and Norway have initiated medical evacuation and treatment programmes for Palestinian children affected by Israel’s ongoing military onslaught, the UK has yet to implement similar measures, prompting criticism from human rights advocates and politicians.

A cross-party coalition of British politicians has sent a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer urging immediate action. The letter highlights the dire conditions in Gaza’s overwhelmed health sector, where critical shortages of supplies and staff, as well as the destruction of civilian infrastructure, have left countless children without access to essential treatment.

The letter highlights the UK’s rapid evacuation of injured children from Ukraine during the early stages of the war with Russia, and asks why a comparable initiative has not been established for Gaza.

“Take the story of 4-year-old Ahmed, who lost his family and both his legs to an Israeli air strike in Gaza,” said the signatories. “He was refused entry to the UK and has now been evacuated to Italy where he is being treated and is receiving life-changing prosthetics and physiotherapy. The UK has the expertise and the resources to help children like Ahmed, all we need is the political will.”

The letter’s signatories include MPs Jeremy Corbyn, Stella Creasy and Apsana Begum, as well as Baroness Christine Blower and Lord Alfred Dubs from the Upper Chamber. They argue that the UK must uphold its humanitarian obligations and act accordingly. The short-term medical evacuation to the UK programme for injured children from Gaza that they propose, would work in coordination with the Palestinian Authority, relevant NGOs and the Israeli authorities.

They also point out the readiness of UK medics to provide specialist care for these children. “The injuries suffered by children in Gaza are extreme and require specialist care. Medics in this country are keen to offer their life-saving expertise.”

The UK refused entry for medical treatment to Ahmed – a 4 year old from Gaza who lost both his legs and most of his family in an Israeli air strike.

He’s now receiving vital treatment in Italy; why won’t the UK offer the same?

Over 50 MPs have written to the Prime Minister 👇 pic.twitter.com/vC9jC41o5K

— Kim Johnson (@KimJohnsonMP) December 17, 2024

The refusal to admit Ahmed to the UK has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics pointing out that the decision undermines the UK’s commitment to international law and humanitarian principles.

While Ahmed begins his recovery journey in Italy, advocates are calling on the UK government to step up and demonstrate solidarity with Gaza’s most vulnerable. The letter concludes with a request for a meeting with the prime minister to discuss the proposed scheme and address the escalating crisis. The UK government has not yet responded to the appeal.

The letter comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concern over the slow pace of medical evacuations for Palestinians in Gaza, warning that at the current rate, it could take five to ten years to address the backlog of critically ill patients, including thousands of children.

Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO representative for the West Bank and Gaza, revealed that out of 12,000 Palestinian patients awaiting urgent transfer for treatment, only 78 have been evacuated recently. Among those waiting are 2,500 children, added UNICEF, with some tragically losing their lives while suffering prolonged delays.

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