Two critically ill children and their families have arrived in Scotland from Gaza for treatment.

Health Secretary Neil Gray confirmed the Scottish government had committed to supporting the treatment of up to 20 Palestinian youngsters, expected to arrive in Scotland in the coming weeks.

A number of children are being brought to the UK for treatment as part of a government operation co-ordinated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Home Office and Department of Health.

“No-one should have to suffer the deep trauma and horrendous conditions these children and their families have been living in, and it is right that Scotland welcomes these children and their families,” Gray said.

On Sunday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that the ill and injured children had been evacuated from Gaza.

Cooper did not confirm how large the first group was but BBC News understands it contains between 30 and 50 Palestinian children.

The UK government is also working to evacuate students with places to study at British universities.

Some Gazan children have been brought privately to the UK for medical treatment through an initiative by Project Pure Hope. But the UK government, until now, had not evacuated any through its own scheme during the conflict.

Neil Gray said: “I am pleased to confirm that the first two patients and their families have now arrived in Scotland where they will receive treatment.

“Scotland has been pushing the UK government to do more, and it is welcome they have worked with partners to ensure the first group of Gazan child patients and their families arrived safely.

“This initial support is a small step towards restoring some humanity to the catastrophic situation in Gaza as a result of the Israeli government’s actions.”

He said the Scottish government had been working closely with the health boards that will be treating patients and the local authorities that will accommodate their families to ensure they have somewhere to live and receive the “essential support they need”.

“This is a sensitive process – clearly these child arrivals from Gaza will have complex care needs and their safety and wellbeing are our top priority,” he said.

“It is important these families are afforded with the privacy and support they need and we will not be releasing any other information about the patients.”

Since UN-backed global food security experts confirmed a famine in Gaza City on 22 August, the ministry has reported that at least 142 people have died from starvation and malnutrition across the territory.

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization said that Israel’s offensive in Gaza had stretched the territory’s health system “beyond breaking point”.

Israel has said it is expanding its efforts to facilitate aid deliveries and has disputed the health ministry’s figures on malnutrition-related deaths.

The Israeli military launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 64,803 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.