A new group of Palestinian children to arrive in Italy this evening for treatment in Italian hospitals

As part of Italy's continued commitment to supporting the people of Gaza, a new group of Palestinian minors will arrive in Italy today. Their transfer will take place aboard three aircraft provided by the Ministry of Defence, landing later this evening at the airports of Rome, Milan, Verona and Pratica di Mare.

This operation marks the sixteenth humanitarian evacuation organised by Italy. Through this effort, 19 patients - accompanied by relatives and caregivers, for a total of 112 people - will be received and provided with medical treatment in Italy. Upon arrival, the patients will be admitted to 15 hospitals across nine regions: Abruzzo, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont, Tuscany and Veneto.

The total number of children from Gaza received in Italy, together with their families, now rises to 215 minors and over 750 people overall. The Government has given priority to the admission of Palestinian children suffering from serious congenital conditions or severe injuries and amputations. More than thirty healthcare facilities across the country have so far been involved in these medical operations.

These evacuations have been made possible through the coordination of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Civil Protection Department. The operations are carried out in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the European Civil Protection Mechanism.

Italy thus reaffirms its position as the first Western country to have organised the transfer of patients from the Gaza Strip to specialised hospitals.