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Premature babies return to Gaza after evacuation to Egypt
Eight toddlers, evacuated from Gaza as critically ill newborns during intense fighting in late 2023, have been returned to their families after nearly two years in Egyptian care, officials confirmed on Monday.
Evacuation amid chaos at Shifa Hospital
The children were among more than 30 fragile infants in incubators at Shifa Hospital when Israeli forces seized the facility in November 2023. Military officials claimed Hamas operatives were using the complex as a base, a charge the group denied.
Sundus al-Kurd, one of the waiting mothers, told the BBC she had tried to remove her daughter, Bisan, from the hospital but was told the newborn was too vulnerable to move. For nearly a year, al-Kurd said she lived in limbo, unsure whether her child had survived.
"I oscillated between despair and hope, wondering if my daughter was still alive. When reports emerged that premature babies had died at Shifa, I scrutinized every photo, searching for any sign of my child."
Sundus al-Kurd, mother
A fragile reunion
Al-Kurd finally learned Bisan was alive after Egyptian field hospital staff identified the toddler by a pink identification bracelet she had worn since birth. The news came as a shock to al-Kurd, who had already lost her parents, brother, and another child during the conflict.
Clutching a pink-embroidered dress, al-Kurd waited at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Monday, describing her emotions as a mix of "fear and joy" at the prospect of reuniting with a daughter she barely knew.
Ceasefire's limited gains
The children's return marks a rare positive outcome from the temporary ceasefire brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump in late 2023. However, six months later, Gaza remains trapped in uncertainty, with little progress toward lasting stability.
Israeli forces still control roughly half of the territory, while Hamas has consolidated its political and practical influence in the remaining areas, where most of Gaza's population resides amid widespread destruction.
Stalled peace efforts
The Trump administration's plan ties reconstruction and Israeli withdrawal to Hamas's disarmament, a demand the group is widely expected to reject. Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N.-appointed high representative for Gaza, warned last week that the region faces a stark choice: "renewed war or a new beginning."
A Palestinian official familiar with Hamas's stance told the BBC the group would likely refuse the disarmament terms, complicating efforts to move forward.
A conflict overshadowed
With Israel now engaged in new military operations in Lebanon and Iran, international focus has shifted away from Gaza. Yet analysts say the territory's struggles underscore the broader challenges of translating military victories into sustainable peace.
