Overview
- The initiative, led by Hannover, proposed taking up to 20 injured or ill children, with Bremen, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Bonn, Frankfurt and Kiel joining.
- A Federal Interior Ministry letter describes conditions in Gaza as very unclear and unpredictable and lists identity checks, security vetting, costs and realistic return options as hurdles, with entry authorizations resting at the federal level.
- Berlin’s position prioritizes funding and support for care delivered inside Gaza rather than individual medical evacuations to Germany.
- Local leaders including Hannover’s Belit Onay and Frankfurt’s Mike Josef expressed disappointment and called for a review, while regional chief Steffen Krach cited roughly 16,000 people needing treatment abroad.
- Other countries such as the United Kingdom and Italy have flown in small numbers of Gaza patients, underscoring diverging international responses.