A surgical suture apparatus for passing a double-ended surgical needle forwards and backwards, wherein the surgical apparatus comprises: a first jaw element, comprising a first holding device to hold a first needle-end of the surgical needle, a second jaw element comprising a second holding device to hold a second needle-end of the surgical needle, an operating device to operate the first holding device and the second holding device to alternately hold the first needle-end by the first holding device and the second needle-end by the second holding device, wherein the first jaw element and second jaw element are movable with respect to each other between a take-over position, wherein a surgical needle can be passed between the first holding device and the second holding device, and an open position, wherein the first holding device and the second holding device are spaced further from each other, wherein the operating device comprises: a switch device movable between a first operating position, in which a needle is held by the first holding device, and a second operating position, in which the needle is held by the second holding device, and an activation device configured to move the switch device between the first operating position and the second operating position, wherein the activation device comprises a spring and a release device, characterised in that the spring is configured to be pre-tensioned during movement of the first jaw element and second jaw element, from the open position to the take-over position, and wherein the release device is configured to release, upon activation, the pre-tensioned spring to move the switch device between the first operating position and the second operating position. a first jaw element, comprising a first holding device to hold a first needle-end of the surgical needle, a second jaw element comprising a second holding device to hold a second needle-end of the surgical needle, an operating device to operate the first holding device and the second holding device to alternately hold the first needle-end by the first holding device and the second needle-end by the second holding device, wherein the first jaw element and second jaw element are movable with respect to each other between a take-over position, wherein a surgical needle can be passed between the first holding device and the second holding device, and an open position, wherein the first holding device and the second holding device are spaced further from each other, wherein the operating device comprises: a switch device movable between a first operating position, in which a needle is held by the first holding device, and a second operating position, in which the needle is held by the second holding device, and an activation device configured to move the switch device between the first operating position and the second operating position, a switch device movable between a first operating position, in which a needle is held by the first holding device, and a second operating position, in which the needle is held by the second holding device, and an activation device configured to move the switch device between the first operating position and the second operating position, wherein the activation device comprises a spring and a release device, characterised in that the spring is configured to be pre-tensioned during movement of the first jaw element and second jaw element, from the open position to the take-over position, and wherein the release device is configured to release, upon activation, the pre-tensioned spring to move the switch device between the first operating position and the second operating position.