Eleven Palestinian toddlers have been reunited with their families in Gaza after being medically evacuated to Egypt during the initial stages of the conflict. These children were evacuated as premature newborns when power outages threatened their lives at Shifa Hospital.

Return Via Rafah Crossing

The group of toddlers successfully returned to the Gaza Strip on Monday, crossing back into the territory through the Rafah crossing from Egypt. Upon arrival, they were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis to meet their waiting relatives.

Evacuation During Blackouts

The infants were evacuated from Shifa Hospital in November 2023, just a month into the Israel-Hamas war. Electricity cuts disabled the incubators essential for keeping the premature babies warm and stable.

Medical staff attempted to maintain body heat by swaddling the infants and placing them side-by-side outside the non-functioning incubators. At the time, 50 premature babies were under care; 31 survived the first month and were subsequently evacuated.

Medical Crisis at Shifa Hospital

Hospital official Mohammad Zaqout noted that power failures prevented the sterilization of water, leading to severe complications for the newborns. These complications included diarrhea, sepsis, and hypothermia. Tragically, three babies died before the evacuation could take place.

Naser Bulbul, from Shifa’s neonatal unit, had previously warned that power loss meant inevitable death for infants dependent on ventilators within minutes. The evacuated group included these vulnerable infants, some of whom were accompanied by caregivers upon their return.

Families React to Reunion

For parents like Samer Lulu, whose daughter Kinda was evacuated, the return marked a profoundly emotional moment. Lulu had last seen Kinda before the incubators shut down in November 2023.

Sundus Al-Kurd shared her initial fear that her daughter, Bissan (now 2 and a half), had perished while in Egypt. The reunion on Monday brought immense joy, though parents expressed deep concern regarding the future reality of Gaza.

Samer Lulu stated, “Our feelings are mixed with pain because of the reality we live in,” hoping their children’s future would not mirror the suffering they endured at birth.

Context of the Conflict

These infants became early symbols of the civilian toll following Israel’s offensive launched on October 8, 2023. The offensive followed a deadly attack by Hamas-led militants in Israel that resulted in over 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages taken.

An Israeli official confirmed that the 11 toddlers and seven accompanying caregivers were permitted to return with assistance from the U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF. The Rafah crossing has reopened to limited Palestinian returnees since February, following earlier restrictions.