Italy Leads on Gaza Medical Evacuations as US Freezes Humanitarian Pathways
Italy has treated more Gazan patients, most notably children, than any other European country, while the US has suspended all visitor visas for Gazans, including those seeking medical care
On Aug. 12–13, three Italian Air Force C-130 aircraft landed in Rome, Milan, and Pisa with 31 children and more than 90 accompanying relatives on board. According to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this was the country’s largest medical evacuation of Palestinian minors to date, bringing Italy’s totals since 2024 to 181 children and 396 companions, with 917 Gazans admitted overall when family reunifications are included.
This was not just an airlift but a demonstration of our commitment. Italy has consistently opened its hospitals, even when larger European economies have taken far fewer patients.
“This was not just an airlift but a demonstration of our commitment,” the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Media Line. “Italy has consistently opened its hospitals, even when larger European economies have taken far fewer patients. France, for example, has received only a dozen children, while Italy has already treated more than 180,” they added.
The operation was coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister together with the Foreign and Defense Ministries, Civil Protection, and in collaboration with the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, UN World Food Program and the Red Cross.
For Dr. Simone Pancani, pediatric surgeon at Florence’s Meyer Children’s Hospital and coordinator of its humanitarian task force, the latest mission reflected both urgency and fragility.
The medical reports we receive are incomplete, sometimes outdated. Often we meet the patient for the first time when the ambulance arrives under the aircraft.
“Among those evacuated was a 12-year-old girl with severe fractures from a mine explosion, traveling only with her brother, and a 4-year-old boy with an autoimmune blood disease,” Pancani said to The Media Line. “The medical reports we receive are incomplete, sometimes outdated. Often, we meet the patient for the first time when the ambulance arrives under the aircraft,” he added.
He described dehydration and lack of access to clean water as compounding factors.
“Some of the children showed frank signs of malnutrition and dehydration. In Eilat, where we boarded them onto the aircraft, the temperature was 47 degrees in the middle of a sandstorm. They are transported from Gaza across 200 kilometers of desert in Israeli ambulances, often with minimal water along the way,” Pancani explained.
Medical workers in Italy take Gazan civilian to hospital (Courtesy Dr. Simone Pancani).
One case highlighted the risks: A young woman, later identified as Marah Abu Zuhri, died at Pisa’s hospital less than 48 hours after arrival. She had been suffering from complex pathologies, suspected leukemia, and severe malnutrition.
Once in Italy, the challenges continue.
Even once healed, these patients cannot return to Gaza. They are in a state of stalemate.
“Even once healed, these patients cannot return to Gaza. They are in a state of stalemate. Families with multiple children now live in Italian towns, where we must arrange accommodation, schools, medical assistance, and cultural mediation,” Pancani added.
The strain extends beyond Gaza cases.
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“We still have Ukrainian patients who arrived in 2022, after the war in Ukraine began. If new groups continue to arrive from Gaza, there is a real risk of overloading our hospitals and social structures,” he noted.
Beyond physical conditions, the psychological dimension weighs heavily.
We are dealing with psychophysical trauma. Children often say little, but companions—mothers, sisters, aunts—speak about loss and fear.
“We are dealing with psychophysical trauma. Children often say little, but companions—mothers, sisters, aunts—speak about loss and fear. Rebuilding childhood will take time. Cultural mediators are fundamental; without them, it would be impossible to communicate, reassure, or gain consent for treatment,” he noted.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained Italy’s motivation during the interview.
“We have hospital beds and evacuation flights. The Food for Gaza initiative is managed together with FAO, the World Food Programme, and the Red Cross to ensure it is not presented as a bilateral initiative but as part of a wider multilateral humanitarian program,” they stated.
They also noted that Italy has taken in far more patients than other EU countries.
“No other EU state has undertaken this level of effort. France, for instance, has evacuated only a small number of patients. Italy has clearly assumed the greater humanitarian role,” they pointed out.
Malnutrition, chronic illnesses and war-related injuries combine into a catastrophic situation
They linked this to a broader crisis in Gaza: “We are facing a humanitarian emergency in which access to medical care is one of the most urgent needs. Malnutrition, chronic illnesses, and war-related injuries combine into a catastrophic situation. Italy’s decision has been to prioritize humanitarian principles over political hesitation,” they said.
Gazan mothers and children receive medical treatment in Italy. (Courtesy Dr. Simone Pancani)
On European divisions, they acknowledged limitations. “There is no common European position on sanctioning Israel or on creating binding measures to end the conflict, unlike in other crises such as piracy in the Red Sea or sanctions on Russia. Italy supports humanitarian measures, but at the European level, there remains a lack of consensus on political action,” they added.
They also explained Italy’s caution on Palestinian state recognition. “Italy’s view is that recognition should be tied to clearly defined borders and stable governing authority. At present, there is fragmentation: the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority, Gaza under Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organization in Europe. Without unity, recognition would not resolve the problem,” they noted.
Still, they pointed to positive precedents: “There have been successful cases of common European security policy, from the fight against piracy off Somalia to coordination in the Red Sea. These show that a unified EU approach is possible, though not yet achieved in this conflict,” they said.
In stark contrast, the United States has suspended all visitor visas for Gazans, including those requiring urgent medical care. The State Department cited unspecified security concerns but has not released evidence.
The decision followed pressure from Republican lawmakers and public lobbying by activist Laura Loomer, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed congressional offices had raised the issue.
Joe Truzman, senior research analyst and editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal, said the lack of transparency leaves room for doubt.
Helping those in need of medical treatment is a just cause, but the government also has a responsibility to ensure there is no security threat to American citizens
“Helping those in need of medical treatment is a just cause, but the government also has a responsibility to ensure there is no security threat to American citizens. Until the State Department explains its rationale, the reasoning behind this decision remains unclear and open to interpretations not based on hard evidence,” he said to The Media Line.
He elaborated on what is known: “According to the US government, some organizations granted visas were allegedly linked to terrorist groups in Gaza. Without public evidence, it is impossible to assess whether the suspension is justified,” he added.
Truzman underlined the international implications: “If convincing evidence is produced, it could influence other countries to tighten their vetting. If no proof is presented, it may have the opposite effect, encouraging Europe to expand humanitarian admissions,” he stated.
Palestinian rights groups have previously challenged the US government in court. This decision may become another such case, potentially argued not only domestically but in international forums.
He also highlighted the legal dimension: “Palestinian rights groups have previously challenged the US government in court. This decision may become another such case, potentially argued not only domestically but in international forums,” he said.
Italy’s approach—labor-intensive and openly humanitarian—has created a pathway for hundreds of Gazan children and families. It comes with challenges, from incomplete records and long-term housing needs to the tragedy of patients too ill to survive evacuation. With Ukrainian patients from 2022 still in Italian hospitals, concerns about future capacity are real.
The US freeze, meanwhile, highlights a shift toward prioritizing security concerns, even at the cost of halting humanitarian access. With no evidence yet made public, the move is vulnerable to criticism and potential legal challenge.
As Dr. Pancani concluded: “As doctors, we want these children not only to recover from their injuries but to regain some stability in their lives. If we are called again, we are ready to rescue other people.”
