Press releasePublished on 28 November 2025

Second evacuation of injured children from Gaza completed

Bern-Wabern, 28.11.2025 — Switzerland has completed its second humanitarian operation to evacuate injured children from the Gaza Strip. In collaboration with Norway, 13 children and 51 family members, who had previously travelled from Gaza to Jordan, were transported to Switzerland on Friday. They will be hosted by eight Swiss cantons, where they will receive medical treatment at various university and cantonal hospitals. They will also undergo an asylum procedure in Switzerland. As part of this humanitarian operation, Switzerland has evacuated a total of 20 injured children and 78 accompanying family members from Gaza.

The 13 children and their family members were transported yesterday afternoon from Amman to Switzerland in a MEDEVAC aircraft operated by SAS under an agreement with the Norwegian authorities, landing at Zurich and Geneva airports. It was accompanied by the Federal Air Transport Service. This second humanitarian operation began last Monday with the evacuation of the injured children from Gaza to Jordan. There, they received medical attention to stabilise them before being prepared for onward travel to Switzerland. Before entering Switzerland, all the evacuees underwent comprehensive security checks by the Swiss and Israeli authorities.

The injured children were taken from Zurich and Geneva airports to hospitals in the cantons of Basel-City, Freiburg, Geneva, Graubünden, Jura, Ticino, Vaud and Wallis. All of them require medical treatment that can no longer be provided in Gaza. The participating cantons had previously confirmed that they would provide accommodation, support and healthcare for those assigned to them. Allocation to the individual cantons is based on medical criteria. Where the costs of treatment are not covered by compulsory health insurance, they will be borne by the host cantons or the hospitals themselves.

Complex operation involving various partners

At the federal level, the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP), the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), and the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) were again involved in the second operation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), supported by the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA), were responsible for the transfer from Gaza to Jordan last Monday and for arranging accommodation there. During the second operation, transport to Switzerland was carried out with Norwegian medical experts on board in cooperation with the Federal Air Transport Service. The children and their accompanying family members were transported to Zurich and Geneva airports on board a passenger aircraft specially equipped for medical evacuations.

Humanitarian operation completed

In August, the Confederation and several cantons agreed to accept 20 injured children and their accompanying family members – up to a maximum of 100 persons – from Gaza as part of a humanitarian operation.

Following the first stage of the operation on 24 October, Switzerland has now concluded the evacuation of injured children from the Gaza Strip.

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