A surgical suture apparatus for passing a double-ended surgical needle backwards and forwards, the surgical apparatus comprising: a first jaw element and a second jaw element, wherein the first jaw element comprises a first holding device to hold a first needle end of the surgical needle and the second jaw element comprises a second holding device to hold a second needle end of the surgical needle, 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 second holding device are spaced further from each other, wherein the surgical apparatus comprises one or more first spring elements to bias the first jaw element and the second jaw element to the open position with a first biasing force, a connecting element connecting the first jaw element and the second jaw element, and 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, characterized in that the operating device comprises a first operating organ, wherein the first operating organ is movable between a normal position and a depressed position, the first operating organ being biased to the normal position by one or more second spring elements with a second biasing force, wherein the operating device comprises a second operating organ, wherein the second operating organ is movable between a normal position and a depressed position, the second operating organ being biased to the normal position by the one or more second spring elements and/or by one or more third spring elements with a third biasing force, wherein the operating device is actuated by depression and/or subsequent release of the first operating organ and the second operating organ, wherein the first biasing force is smaller than the second biasing force and the first biasing force is smaller than the third biasing force, such that exerting an actuation force on the first operating organ first results in movement of the first jaw element and the second jaw element towards each other, and subsequently in actuation of the operating device characterised in that the first operating organ is arranged on the first jaw element and the second operating organ is arranged on the second jaw element, and in that the first operating organ and the second operating organ are arranged at opposite sides of the surgical apparatus. a first jaw element and a second jaw element, wherein the first jaw element comprises a first holding device to hold a first needle end of the surgical needle and the second jaw element comprises a second holding device to hold a second needle end of the surgical needle, 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 second holding device are spaced further from each other, wherein the surgical apparatus comprises one or more first spring elements to bias the first jaw element and the second jaw element to the open position with a first biasing force, a connecting element connecting the first jaw element and the second jaw element, and 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, characterized in that the operating device comprises a first operating organ, wherein the first operating organ is movable between a normal position and a depressed position, the first operating organ being biased to the normal position by one or more second spring elements with a second biasing force, wherein the operating device comprises a second operating organ, wherein the second operating organ is movable between a normal position and a depressed position, the second operating organ being biased to the normal position by the one or more second spring elements and/or by one or more third spring elements with a third biasing force, wherein the operating device is actuated by depression and/or subsequent release of the first operating organ and the second operating organ, wherein the first biasing force is smaller than the second biasing force and the first biasing force is smaller than the third biasing force, such that exerting an actuation force on the first operating organ first results in movement of the first jaw element and the second jaw element towards each other, and subsequently in actuation of the operating device characterised in that the first operating organ is arranged on the first jaw element and the second operating organ is arranged on the second jaw element, and in that the first operating organ and the second operating organ are arranged at opposite sides of the surgical apparatus.