Overview
- The federal government rejected an initial request to admit injured and traumatized children from Gaza, citing security risks, unclear exit procedures with Israel and Egypt, and cost and migration consequences.
- Berlin proposed boosting medical support inside Gaza instead of transfers to Germany, emphasizing that on-site care would reach more patients with the same resources.
- Hannover launched the initiative, and Bremen, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Bonn, Frankfurt am Main and Kiel each offered to take about 20 children but say federal help is essential for identity checks, security screening and funding.
- Lower Saxony leaders and Jewish community officials sent a letter to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil urging a policy change, while Hannover’s Steffen Krach condemned the refusal as “deeply inhuman.”
- WHO and UN reports say thousands of Gaza children need evacuation and treatment and estimate about 21,000 have disabilities, as renewed fighting increases urgency and opinion pieces split over evacuation versus care on site.