Summary
- Scotland’s First Minister criticizes the UK for delayed Gaza action.
- Hundreds of injured Gazan children to be evacuated to the UK.
- Up to 300 children promised medical treatment in the NHS.
- Swinney called the UK government slow despite early appeals.
- Conditions in Gaza described as a humanitarian catastrophe.
The initiative, which is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks, may bring up to 300 youngsters to the UK.
According to the Sunday Times, the Home Office will perform biometric and security checks prior to departure, and each child will be accompanied by a parent or guardian, as well as siblings if needed.
Swinney said he had demanded such action almost a month ago and was frustrated by the delay, according to a story in the Scottish newspaper The National.
“My only regret is that the UK government has taken this long to act,”
he said.
“I wrote to the Prime Minister on 9th July to request support from the UK Government in meeting the call from UNICEF to provide medical care for children from Gaza.”
He said the response must now be swift to save lives: “I urge the UK Government to do everything in its power to move swiftly so that lives can be saved. And Scotland will play our part.”
Swinney condemned the conditions in Gaza, describing the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe.
“We have been consistently clear that the suffering being inflicted on the people of Gaza is beyond any justification. People in Gaza are being bombed and left to starve by Israel on a massive scale,”
he said.
Project Pure Hope, a private organization that aims to transfer injured Gazan children to Britain for treatment, is anticipated to work alongside the UK government's intentions.
Swinney welcomed the move, saying:
“If the UK Government is prepared to evacuate Palestinians for medical treatment, it would be entirely welcome.”
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has been waging a bloody onslaught in Gaza, murdering well more than 60,300 Palestinians. The enclave has been destroyed by the ceaseless shelling, which has also caused food shortages and famine fatalities.
Why did John Swinney say the UK acted “too late” on Gaza children’s evacuation?
John Swinney criticized the UK government for acting “too late” on the evacuation of injured and sick children from Gaza because he had called for such measures nearly a month earlier. He wrote to the UK Prime Minister on July 9, 2025, urging support for UNICEF’s appeal to provide medical care for Gazan children.
Swinney expressed frustration that the government delayed action despite the urgent humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza due to extensive bombing and starvation.
He stressed the need for swift government response to save lives, emphasizing that the prolonged delay increased suffering.