Eight children evacuated during Israeli siege on al-Shifa return to Gaza
A group of Palestinian children from Gaza, evacuated abroad as premature infants for treatment, have returned to the enclave more than two years after Israel’s siege of al-Shifa hospital where they were born.
The eight toddlers arrived on Monday via the Rafah crossing, with teams from the Palestine Red Crescent Society taking part in the humanitarian mission, accompanied by the nursing teams who cared for them throughout their treatment journey.
The children were among over a dozen babies who were placed in incubators at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, and later evacuated to Egypt as Israeli troops stormed the complex in November 2023.
A post on X by the director general of the health ministry in Gaza said that they were among a few children who survived Israel's direct targeting of the hospital and the forcible expulsion of patients and staff.
The eight babies, who were in extremely critical condition, also faced severe shortages in neonatal care, Muneer Alboursh said. He added that nearly two weeks into the Israeli siege of al-Shifa, they were evacuated in a "perilous journey amid tanks and soldiers".
"Today… life returns... Their return today is not merely a medical event – it is a victory of life over death, and of truth over injustice," the senior health official expressed.
"We honour every hand that helped save them, and affirm that our mission continues… until no child in Gaza is left to face death alone."
Footage online shows scenes of joy, as families reunite with their children, some of whom have not seen them since their birth.
🚨8 Premature Babies Survive Near-Death Ordeal and Return to Gaza
— Gaza Notifications (@gazanotice) March 30, 2026
Today, 8 fragile newborns, who were on the brink of death during the Israeli siege of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in November 2023, have safely returned to Gaza.
Under siege, NICU power, oxygen, and water were cut,… pic.twitter.com/zgggXC46RY
Several videos and images show parents and relatives embracing the children, smiling and weeping.
The reunions come over two years after the Israeli army launched its first campaign on al-Shifa, as it expanded its ground attacks in late 2023.
During Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, tanks and infantry forces encircled several hospitals across the blockaded strip, particularly in Gaza City and northern Gaza.
Patients and thousands of people taking shelter in these hospitals were eventually forced out at gunpoint, including at al-Shifa hospital, al-Rantisi hospital and the Indonesian hospital, among others.
A pattern of destruction
During the sieges on hospitals and subsequent forced expulsions, no aid or safety measures were provided for patients or medical staff, according to eyewitnesses.
The people trapped - without food, water or electricity - included premature babies in incubators, ICU patients, people wounded in air strikes and elderly patients undergoing dialysis treatment.
In one case, the bodies of five premature Palestinian babies were reportedly discovered in al-Nasser hospital in late 2023.
Journalists from the Emirati TV channel Al Mashhad found the children’s decomposing remains.
A UN report published in December 2024 highlighted that Israeli attacks on Gaza's hospitals were part of a "pattern" of destruction that has severely crippled the healthcare system.
The report called for independent investigations into these incidents and accountability for the violation of international law.
During a number of attacks on healthcare centres, Israeli forces began by bombarding the area outside the hospitals, cutting off supplies, disabling the generators and sparking fires in several departments, including the surgery, intensive care and maternity wards.
Troops then stormed the hospitals, forcing many of the remaining staff, including hospital directors, and patients to strip almost naked and detaining them.
In many cases, most prominently during the attack on al-Shifa, the Israeli government justified its actions by alleging that Palestinian armed groups used hospitals to run operations, hold captives, steal fuel supplies, and that they usde patients and medical staff as human shields.
Raids on al-Shifa and other medical centres have been followed by reports of field executions during the incursions in and around the facilities.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed more than 72,285 people in Gaza and left nearly the entire territory in ruins.
This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.
Read Full Article on Middle East Eye →