Leipzig is preparing: Help for children from Gaza and Israel is in sight!

Leipzig is preparing: Help for children from Gaza and Israel is in sight!

Leipzig is one of five German cities that have agreed to take in children in need from Gaza and Israel. This initiative is supported by Mayor Burkhard Jung together with his counterparts from Hanover, Düsseldorf, Bonn and Kiel. In a letter to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, the dramatic situation in the region, which particularly affects children, is discussed. The city of Leipzig makes it clear that it has the necessary infrastructure as well as medical and psychological care options to adequately support these children. This is reported by the Leipziger Internet Zeitung ( l-iz.de ).

There is overwhelming support for the project in the city council, although the CDU has set some conditions. These include, among other things, a confession of Hamas's guilt and Israel's sovereignty. The Left Party and the SPD, on the other hand, support the call for humanity. The Green city councilor emphasizes the need to create sufficient capacity for unaccompanied minors, while the Free Group calls for the children to be given a permanent right to remain.

Call for humanitarian support

According to information from the Leipziger Volkszeitung ( lvz.de ), the mayors of the cities concerned have appealed to the federal government to offer support for the admission of the children. The humanitarian situation in the region has worsened dramatically, especially after the devastating attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The cities have close partnerships in the region, with Leipzig cooperating with Herzliya and Düsseldorf with Haifa.

In their appeal, the mayors make it clear that children in particular are suffering from the consequences of the conflict and that they are the least responsible for current events. An orderly process at the federal level is required to ensure effective humanitarian aid.

Examination of the project by the Ministry of the Interior

A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the project was being examined, but emphasized that medical help on site had priority. The Interior Ministry and the Chancellery expressed concerns about the feasibility of the mayor's request. The head of the Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, pointed out the complexity of the situation and the need to find effective solutions on site.

In this context, Derya Türk-Nachbaur from the SPD parliamentary group spoke about the urgency of safe corridors and organized patient transport and spoke out in favor of taking in injured children from the Gaza Strip. She also points to similar initiatives in other European countries that underline the urgency of the situation.

It remains to be seen where Leipzig and the other affected cities will go. What is certain, however, is that the humanitarian situation in Gaza and Israel requires a quick and coordinated response from the Federal Government.