Latest news with #Palestinian territories
Arab News
6 days ago
- Health
- Arab News
UK govt facing legal action over refusal to evacuate sick children from Gaza
LONDON: The UK government is facing a legal challenge over its decision not to medically evacuate critically ill Palestinian children from Gaza, amid mounting pressure from campaigners and humanitarian groups, it was reported on Saturday. According to a report by The Guardian, the legal action, which has been brought by law firm Leigh Day on behalf of three young children, will argue that British ministers have failed to account for the dire lack of medical options in Gaza, where thousands remain in urgent need of life-saving treatment. The UK government has already supported healthcare for over half a million people in the Palestinian territories, including through field hospitals and medical supplies, and has facilitated access to the UK for some children through privately funded initiatives. However, the claimants argue that current arrangements fall short of addressing the humanitarian emergency. 'The UK government has explained its failure to facilitate medical evacuations from Gaza on the basis that it supports treatment options in Gaza and the surrounding region and that there are visas available for privately funded medical treatment in the UK. However, these mechanisms are profoundly inadequate to meet the urgent needs of children in Gaza,' said Carolin Ott, the Leigh Day lawyer leading the legal action. The case has been filed against both the Foreign Office and the Home Office, and revolves around three children, one aged two, and two siblings aged five, who require urgent medical attention unavailable in Gaza. The two-year-old, referred to as Child Y, suffers from an arteriovenous malformation in his cheek, which causes daily bleeding and has left him in critical condition. The other two children, both known as Child S, have the chronic kidney condition cystinosis nephropathy that has already led to kidney failure. One of the siblings can no longer walk, according to The Guardian report. Campaigners say the UK's current approach contrasts strongly with its actions in other conflicts, notably its evacuation of children during the Bosnian war and, more recently, from Ukraine. The government, however, points to its ongoing humanitarian contributions, including a £7.5 million ($10 million) medical support package announced in May, as well as its support for Project Pure Hope, a UK-based initiative that successfully arranged for two children from Gaza to receive treatment in Britain earlier this year. 'We have helped several children with complex paediatric conditions access privately funded medical care in the UK, supporting an initiative by Project Pure Hope,' a government spokesperson said. Legal documents submitted as part of the action reportedly indicate that Project Pure Hope requested the establishment of a UK-funded evacuation route from Gaza for medical cases, but that request was declined. A spokesperson for the government added: 'We have been clear the situation in Gaza is intolerable and that there must be an immediate ceasefire. We urge Israel to let vital humanitarian aid in and allow Gazans to receive urgent healthcare, including allowing the sick and wounded to temporarily leave the Gaza Strip to receive treatment.' According to health officials in Gaza, more than 17,000 of the 58,000 Palestinians killed since Oct. 7, 2023, have been children. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 12,500 patients in Gaza require evacuation for treatment. As of April 10, over 7,200 patients had been moved out of the territory to destinations including Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, the EU, and the US. Nearly 5,000 of those evacuated were children. Dr. Hani Isleem, project coordinator for Medecins Sans Frontieres, which has helped evacuate 22 patients, said that international reluctance to do more remained a serious obstacle. 'Some countries are reluctant to take in patients, fearing they might be perceived as facilitating 'forced migration' or as taking on the burden of the patients' extended stay,' he said. The UK government has until July 28 to respond to the legal pre-action letter, The Guardian's report added.
BreakingNews.ie
16-07-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Taoiseach criticises US diplomat who told Irish Government to ‘sober up'
The Taioseach has rejected comments from an American diplomat who said the Irish Government needs to 'sober up'. US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee criticised the Irish Government over its plans to implement legislation that would ban the imports of goods originating in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Advertisement Mr Huckabee wrote in a post on X: 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness and propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? 'It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. 'Sober up Ireland! Call (the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Aiffairs) and say you're sorry!' Asked about the comments on Wednesday, Micheál Martin said: 'I reject the comments made by the ambassador. Advertisement 'The situation is very serious in Gaza including an appalling loss of human life. Terrible war crimes are being committed. 'Ireland has consistently condemned Hamas and we equally condemn Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. 'The slaughter of children must stop. The slaughter of innocent civilians queuing for food must stop. What is going on is beyond any moral compass. 'Ireland stands for peace and a political pathway forward.' Advertisement Criticism of the Occupied Territories Bill also came from figures in the Israeli government, which Mr Martin has levelled criticism at for the ongoing war in Gaza. Mr Martin said: 'I think Israel needs to focus on ending the war that is slaughtering innocent children and civilians. 'This kind of row is ridiculous, given the enormity of killing and the enormity of the death and destruction that's happening in Gaza – and the continuing shocking behaviour in the West Bank and the freedom that's given to extreme settlers to destroy settlements and housing belonging to Palestinians who've been there on that land for generations. 'The time for this war to end this has long passed.' Advertisement He added: 'There's a moral issue here, there's an ethical issue at this stage. 'People queuing for food have been slaughtered. Bombs are landing on houses and children have been slaughtered.'
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Orthodox leaders demand Israel investigate settler violence near West Bank church
The most senior church leaders in Israel and the Palestinian territories gathered in the West Bank village of Taybeh on Monday to denounce rising settler violence against Palestinians and Palestinian property in the area. (AP video shot by Fernanda Pesce)
