In September 2024 the Government approved Ireland’s participation in an initiative to evacuate up to 30 sick children from Gaza for treatment and care, following an appeal from the World Health Organisation. So far, 12 paediatric patients have been evacuated through Egypt to Ireland and are receiving ongoing medical treatment. They are accompanied here by 33 carers and family members.
I appreciate that those who have been medically evacuated are eager for their family members to join them in Ireland. Originally, the Gaza Medevac Initiative provided for the evacuation of one child and one accompanying family member or carer. However, in practice the Department facilitated the arrival of additional family members on a humanitarian basis by providing Irish entry visas and residence permission. In July, the Government decided to formalise this approach. This means children arriving under the Gaza Medevac Initiative can be accompanied by both parents and their siblings and those with family already in Ireland can apply for join family visas to be reunited.
It remains my Department’s policy that the families brought to Ireland under the Gaza Medevac Initiative should not be separated. The Irish Red Cross has offered to assist families here in Ireland to apply for entry visas for their family members still in Gaza and applications from eligible family members will be processed swiftly.
While my Department can grant visas for eligible family members to travel to Ireland, it is unable to provide practical assistance to family members who are seeking evacuation directly from Gaza
My Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department of Health, Irish Red Cross, the Health Service Executive, Children's Health Ireland and international organisations are working closely towards a civilian evacuation from Gaza to facilitate the paediatric patients and their families. This evacuation is being led by DFAT with the aim to be completed in the near future.
