Lorraine Williamson
After months of bombardment and blockade, a group of children from Gaza has been flown to Spain for life-saving treatment.
Thirteen young patients suffering from severe heart conditions arrived in Zaragoza on Thursday afternoon. They had been evacuated from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip in a joint Spanish-Jordanian humanitarian operation.
It’s the fourth such mission launched by Spain in less than a year. This time, the focus was on children whose medical conditions cannot be treated locally due to the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure.
From warzone to care: How the journey unfolded
The evacuation began in Gaza under the coordination of the World Health Organization (WHO). The group, comprising the 13 children, one seriously ill adult, and 44 relatives—was first transported to Jordan.
There, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Spanish embassy in Amman provided emergency reception facilities and overnight shelter. Medical professionals from Spain’s Ministry of Health stabilised the children before their transfer to Spain aboard a Spanish Air Force aircraft.
The flight touched down at Zaragoza Air Force Base just after 3.00 pm on Thursday. From there, the children were swiftly transferred to hospitals across several regions.
Zaragoza takes centre stage in dual aid mission
As the children touched down at Zaragoza Air Force Base, the city was simultaneously launching another lifeline to Gaza. On the same day, 12 tonnes of essential food supplies were dispatched to the Palestinian territories. Thus, making Zaragoza the epicentre of two coordinated humanitarian actions.
The Delegation of the Government in Aragón, which shared the update on social media, said both efforts reflected Spain’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people in the face of a deepening crisis.
Spain’s hospitals open doors
Specialist paediatric teams are now caring for the children in some of Spain’s most advanced medical centres. In Catalonia, they’re being treated at Vall d’Hebron, Sant Joan de Déu, and Germans Trias i Pujol. In the Basque Country, the University Hospital of Cruces and Donostia Hospital have taken in others. Additional patients were placed in top-tier facilities in Navarre and Asturias.
Meanwhile, their relatives—many of whom also suffer from conflict-related injuries, trauma, or chronic conditions- are receiving support from the Ministry of Inclusion and the NGO Accem.
Accommodation, psychological care, legal aid and interpreting services are being provided to help ease the burden of displacement and allow families to focus on their children’s recovery.
A broader mission
This evacuation brings the total number of Gaza children rescued by Spain since the 2023 conflict escalation to 43, along with nearly 100 relatives. Previous operations focused on treating war-related injuries and aggressive cancers, especially in younger patients.
The Spanish government, through its National Institute of Health Management (INGESA), has worked in close coordination with the Foreign Ministry and the Spanish Office for Cooperation in Amman. These missions involve complex logistics, including securing permits, visas and safe passage amid ongoing hostilities.
Humanitarian action with political weight
Spain’s decision to launch repeated medical missions sets it apart within Europe. While other countries have provided aid remotely or pledged funding, Spain has directly intervened with boots on the ground and aircraft in the air.
The Spanish approach is quietly radical: remove politics from the patient. In doing so, it positions itself not just as a donor, but as a hands-on actor in international humanitarian response.
Hope, not headlines
For the 13 children now undergoing surgery or stabilisation in Spanish hospitals, the story is no longer about war—it’s about survival.
For Spain, this is more than foreign policy. It’s a demonstration of how nations can translate compassion into meaningful, measurable action.
And for Gaza’s civilians—stranded in a broken system—it’s a glimmer of hope that somewhere, someone is still listening.
Source: 20 Minutos