Medical evacuations of Palestinian patients from Gaza: Europe must step up

Written declaration No. 823 | Doc. 16255 | 16 September 2025

Signatories:

Ms Dora BAKOYANNIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Regina BASTOS, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Mr Marek BOROWSKI, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Christophe BRICO, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Mr Ricardo CARVALHO, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Ms Maria-Nefeli CHATZIIOANNIDOU, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Benjamin DALLE, Belgium, EPP/CD ; Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Ms Nađa LAKOVIĆ, Montenegro, EPP/CD ; Ms Carmen LEYTE, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Dimitrios MARKOPOULOS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Aleksandar MIRKOVIĆ, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Ms Octavie MODERT, Luxembourg, EPP/CD ; Mr Ioannis OIKONOMOU, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Biljana PANTIĆ PILJA, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Ms Christine PASQUIER-CIULLA, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Mr Marko PAVIĆ, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Ms Manuela PERTEGHELLA, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Ms Lucia PLAVÁKOVÁ, Slovak Republic, ALDE ; Ms Agnieszka POMASKA, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Gonzalo ROBLES, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Carlos SILVA SANTIAGO, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Mr Georgios STAMATIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Evripidis STYLIANIDIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Maria SYRENGELA, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Jorida TABAKU, Albania, EPP/CD ; Mr Nicos TORNARITIS, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Mr Vladimir VARDANYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Ms Albana VOKSHI, Albania, EPP/CD

This written declaration does not reflect the position of the Assembly; only of those members that have signed it. It will not be considered further by the Assembly.

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

Tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza are in urgent need of medical treatment, whether due to conflict-related injuries or pre-existing conditions for which care is no longer available.

Between July 2024 and August 2025, at least 740 patients, including 137 children, reportedly died while awaiting evacuation. The real number is certainly higher.

Europe has the capacity to help, yet many member States have accepted only a handful of patients, or none at all. This is a collective failure that undermines our humanitarian principles.

We therefore call on all Council of Europe member States to increase the number of medical evacuations from Gaza, giving priority to children, within the next six months. Member States can work closely with relevant international organisations to facilitate these transfers.

If we cannot end the war, we can at least save lives. Providing treatment and hope to those in need is a responsibility within our reach.