The session called for the UK government to take immediate action to helping the children of Gaza [GETTY]
A parliamentary session held at Westminster called on the British government to urgently establish a visa scheme to provide medical treatment children injured by Israel strikes on Gaza.
The session, organised by the Association of the Palestinian Community in the UK (APCUK) and hosted by the Independent Alliance, called for taking action to address the situation Palestinian children are facing as Israel wages its war on the enclave.
APCUK says the scheme will ensure Gazan children injured during the war will receive the necessary treatment they need to safeguard their future.
Should the government approve, the organisation and other advocates say they are committed to supporting the initiative financially and logistically.
The session featured many prominent speakers, including Said Shehadeh, Director of the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, Dr. Nehad Khanfar, Chairman of the Association of the Palestinian Community in the UK and Neil Sammond from the War on Want organisation.
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Ambassador to London, was also present and stressed that more must be done for Gaza and Palestine.
Dr Khanfar urged the government to establish a scheme, saying: “We urge the government to treat Gaza’s children with the same compassion and urgency shown to Ukrainian children, stressing that any further delay jeopardises the futures of young lives that could otherwise be saved.”
Sammond also stressed that “this is not a political issue; it’s a question of humanity.”
“This parliamentary session marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing advocacy for Gaza’s children, uniting voices from various sectors to call on the UK government to take immediate humanitarian action and provide the necessary support to those who need it most,” APCUK said in a statement.
Under-18s make up nearly 50 percent of Gaza’s population, and the 44,930 Palestinians killed since 7 October last year made up mostly women and children, with 106,624 wounded.
There are 12,000 patients needing to evacuate Gaza to receive the medical treatment they need to survive.
Only 5,230 patients have received medical evacuations from the strip, according to the World Health Organisation, with the rate slowing down since the closure of the Rafah crossing to Egypt was closed.
Out of the 12,000, there are 2,500 children, some who have died during the wait to leave, which is often a month long.
The British government has also been facing calls to implement a scheme for Palestinians from Gaza to be reunited with their loved ones in the UK, similar to the scheme given to Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion.
