Ten premature babies who were evacuated from Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital amid the 2023 war with Israel were reunited with their families in Gaza on March 30, 2026, more than two years after their evacuation to Egypt for urgent medical treatment.
The infants were born prematurely during intense fighting in November 2023, when Al-Shifa Hospital’s power failed and incubators shut down due to a fuel shortage caused by the Israeli siege. Wrapped in aluminum foil for warmth, the babies made international headlines. A Red Crescent and United Nations-coordinated operation evacuated 28 of these vulnerable infants through the southern Gaza border into Egypt to save their lives.
While most survived, Israeli restrictions kept the border crossing sealed for months after the evacuation, preventing the babies and many parents from returning home. Some parents traveled to Egypt to join their children temporarily, but many remained separated from their families in Gaza for over two years.
On Monday, Gaza’s Ministry of Health facilitated the return of 10 of the evacuated children, now around two and a half years old, back to Gaza by bus, accompanied by nurses who had cared for them in Egypt. Many parents expressed mixed emotions, as some had only seen their children via photos and videos shared by caretakers during their prolonged separation.
Ahmed Al-Harsh, who lost his wife during the conflict but whose child was rescued, shared that he had only seen his son once before the reunion. “I lived his life through these photos,” he told CBS News. “I am happy to see my son after two and a half years, but my happiness isn’t complete without my family and loved ones.”
Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, pediatric director at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, called the reunions a “very great moment,” marking the end of a painful chapter for the affected children and their families. Despite the ceasefire, families and health workers acknowledge ongoing hardships in Gaza, where medical care and living conditions remain challenging compared to what the children received in Egypt.
Why it matters
This reunion symbolizes a rare moment of relief amid continued conflict and blockade in Gaza, highlighting the humanitarian challenges faced by vulnerable populations during wartime. The evacuation and eventual return of these children underscore the critical role of international organizations in medical evacuations and the complexities imposed by ongoing hostilities and border closures.
Background
During the November 2023 escalation of the Israel-Hamas war, Gaza’s medical infrastructure, including Al-Shifa Hospital, suffered from power outages and lack of essential supplies amid Israeli military operations and siege conditions. The Red Crescent and United Nations facilitated the safe transfer of premature infants across the border into Egypt to receive essential neonatal care, which could not be provided locally under siege conditions.
Since then, Israeli-imposed border restrictions delayed reunions between the children and their families, with only partial reunifications occurring during ceasefires. The March 2026 return marks one of the first major reunifications of these children with their parents in Gaza since their evacuation.
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