Switzerland is evacuating an initial group of seven injured children from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment. The children, accompanied by 27 family members, arrived in Switzerland on Rega and Swiss Air Force aircraft on 24 October 2025 and will receive care at hospitals in Geneva, Vaud, Ticino, Basel-Stadt, Lucerne, and St. Gallen.
This operation, involving multiple federal agencies, Swiss cantons, the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Swiss Air-Rescue Rega, aims to provide highly specialized treatment for children suffering from war-related injuries. After arriving in Jordan, they were initially treated with medical support from Switzerland's Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) before being flown to Switzerland.
As part of the process, the children and their companions will undergo an asylum procedure in Switzerland, with their accommodation arranged by cantons or the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
Switzerland plans to further expand the operation, with preparations underway to evacuate 13 more children. The WHO has registered 15,000 patients from Gaza for evacuation, including 4,000 children, many in critical condition and requiring urgent care.