Two British charities have called on the UK government to urgently admit 11 children from Gaza for specialist medical treatment, following severe injuries sustained in the ongoing conflict. Among these children is 14-year-old Kareem, whose traumatic experience underscores the dire need for medical intervention outside the region.
Kareem’s Ordeal:
Kareem’s plight began when a tank fired near his home, causing severe injuries to him and his family. The intensity of his pain led Kareem to plead with doctors to amputate his leg, a procedure they had to perform without anesthesia due to wartime constraints. His mother recounts the family’s ordeal: “My husband lost his eyesight, and Kareem underwent upper body surgery. The flesh around his leg is gone, leaving only the bone. I have splinters in my eye.”
The war has left Kareem with significant weight loss, dropping to just 26kg (4st 1lb), and he suffers from recurring bone infections. His doctor, Saeed, warns of the critical condition due to the lack of adequate medical supplies and the challenges faced by the medical team in Gaza. “He is at risk of losing his life,” Saeed emphasizes.
Charitable Appeal:
Project Pure Hope and Save A Child, two British charities, have written to the UK foreign and home secretaries, requesting urgent approval for Kareem and ten other children to travel to the UK for essential medical treatment. These charities, experienced in facilitating medical care for children outside Gaza, argue that access to UK medical facilities would significantly improve these children’s survival prospects and quality of life. Funding for travel and medical expenses has already been secured, requiring only government approval.
Zeina’s Struggle:
Two-year-old Zeina is also on the evacuation list after sustaining severe burns in a fire caused by an airstrike. Over a fifth of her body is covered in second and third-degree burns, requiring 16 operations in just two months. Her father, Noor, describes the constant pain and trauma Zeina endures: “Her pain keeps getting worse, and she often wakes up screaming at night. She panics at the sight of medical uniforms and has developed a fear-induced incontinence.”
The Call for Action:
The appeal highlights that other European countries, including France, Italy, and Switzerland, have accepted children from Gaza for medical care. The letter to Lord Cameron and James Cleverly emphasizes that the UK possesses the necessary expertise and facilities to effectively treat these children, which are not available in their local region.
Without prompt intervention, these children face worsening conditions and limited chances of recovery. The UK has the opportunity to provide life-saving care and a chance for a better future for these young victims of war.
