British rabbis praise NHS for treating critically ill children from Gaza

“We have to be frank: while to save one life is to save a world, we also know that this programme is just a drop in the ocean of what’s needed. The ongoing displacement and suffering in Gaza is appalling. This move from the UK government must be a first step towards a future where all in the region can live in dignity, safety and peace.”

Israel said it has taken steps to protect civilians during the war in Gaza, such as opening evacuation routes to different parts of the Strip and warning residents in advance of attacks through phone calls and text messages. Between mid-March and July, it allowed around 2,500 people – including patients requiring medical evacuation and their escorts – to leave Gaza, according to COGAT.

Massorti Judaism’s Senior Rabbi, Jonathan Wittenberg, also welcomed the arrival of the children and linked the mission to a core theme of his upcoming yontif sermons: healing.

“One of my messages for these High Holy Days, while we are in such terrible and grim times – when there is huge suffering in Gaza and trauma grips Israel – is to be on the side of healing.

“There are different things one can do that are on the side of healing, whether that is with nature, or medical.

“If the NHS is able to treat children from Gaza, thank god there are people practising healing in healthcare,” Wittenberg said.

Israel has repeatedly shown how Hamas embeds military infrastructure in hospitals, mosques and residential buildings, making civilian casualties far more likely.

The terror group’s vast tunnel network, which cannot be used by civilians, is frequently accessed via shafts inside residential structures, which the IDF can only safely tackle by destroying the buildings themselves.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it had supported the evacuations of 10 “critical” children and 50 companions. The families were first transferred to Jordan, where they were supported by British Embassy staff and underwent security checks before travelling to the UK.

The DHSC said it is working to ensure the families receive “appropriate support” during their stay.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised the effort, saying the mission “reflects the very best of our NHS values – compassion, care and expertise when it matters most.

“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.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper added: "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 cooperation.

"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.”

Cooper did not, however, acknowledge the fact that Hamas has frequently used hospitals as bases and depots to store weapons. 

John Spencer, director of urban warfare at the West Point Military Academy, has said Israel “has implemented more measures to prevent civilian casualties than any other military in history”.