Gaza Families Reunite After Years Following Baby Evacuations During Israel Conflict
Eight Palestinian toddlers who were evacuated as premature infants during Israel’s assault on Gaza returned to the territory after more than two years away.
The children were among at least 25 premature babies moved from al-Shifa Hospital in November 2023. Israeli forces had stormed the medical complex in Gaza City during that operation.
Return mission and logistics
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its teams led the operation to bring eight toddlers back. They were accompanied by three relatives and two medical staff after receiving care outside the Gaza Strip.
In 2023 the infants were first moved from al-Shifa to southern Gaza. Many were then evacuated to Egypt for life-saving treatment.
Family reunions in Rafah
Crowds gathered in Rafah for the reunions. The returns offered a rare moment of joy for families torn apart by conflict and displacement.
Parents spent weeks and months under bombardment and forced displacement waiting to learn if their babies survived. One father, Samer Lulu, told Filmogaz.com he felt indescribable relief mixed with pain and uncertainty.
Another mother, Ola Hijji, said she underwent a caesarean at eight months after serious complications. Her son, Sulaiman, had been moved from al-Helou Hospital to al-Shifa’s neonatal unit, and she had not seen him until the reunion.
Medical context and shortages
Doctors inside Gaza hospitals struggled to keep newborns alive during the siege. Mohammad Zaqout, director general of hospitals at the Palestinian Health Ministry and a doctor at Emirati Hospital, cited severe shortages.
He said antibiotics, medical solutions, and food were in short supply. He added some supplies were banned from reaching the al-Shifa medical complex.
Child protection concerns
The International Rescue Committee warned that war and displacement are reshaping family structures. Ulrike Julia, the IRC’s child protection coordinator in the occupied Palestinian territory, highlighted growing numbers of children without parental care.
She said communities are doing their best to care for these children. But she warned family-based care cannot hold without sustained support.
Casualties and continuing attacks
Since the war began in October 2023, health authorities estimate more than 72,200 people have been killed. Tens of thousands of those victims are women and children.
A ceasefire declared in October 2025 has not stopped near-daily strikes, the Gaza Health Ministry said. More than 700 Palestinians have been killed since that ceasefire began.
On Tuesday, air strikes killed at least five people in Gaza. Local health sources reported three deaths in Jabalia and two in Khan Younis.
Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, reported two Palestinians wounded east of the Bureij refugee camp, quoting local medical sources.
The returns underscore both the fragility and resilience of families in Gaza. Many parents voiced hope for a safer future for their children after baby evacuations during the Israel conflict.
