The Swiss Confederation, together with several cantons, plans to welcome around twenty injured children from the Gaza Strip as part of a humanitarian operation so they can receive medical treatment in suitable facilities. Preparations are ongoing, and the evacuation date remains uncertain due to conditions on the ground.
The operation involves multiple federal departments, including Justice and Police (FDJP), Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Defence (DDPS), and Home Affairs (FDI), as well as several federal offices. Switzerland is coordinating closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Rega, as well as with European countries that have already carried out similar evacuations under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
The WHO, which maintains patient lists, will assist in selecting those to be evacuated. Before transfer, security checks will be conducted by the relevant Swiss authorities, and once in Switzerland, an asylum procedure will be initiated for the children and accompanying family members.
The Swiss Confederation will cover coordination and transport costs, while medical expenses will be funded voluntarily by the host cantons or hospitals.
Currently, nearly 19,000 people are on WHO evacuation lists from Gaza, including around 4,000 children, many of whom are in life-threatening conditions due to lack of access to adequate medical care. The WHO believes the actual number of people in urgent need of treatment is significantly higher.