At least eight children, evacuated from Gaza as premature babies during the early weeks of the war, have returned from Egypt and been reunited with their families. Among them is Bisan, who was separated from her mother, Sundus al-Kurd, for more than two years.
The toddlers were part of over 30 severely ill newborns evacuated from Gaza's Shifa Hospital in November 2023 amidst ongoing fighting. The hospital had previously been occupied by Israeli forces, who claimed Hamas was using it.
Sundus, anxiously waiting for her daughter's return at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, expressed her mixed emotions of fear and joy, concerned about her acceptance after such a lengthy separation. She had attempted to bring her infant daughter out of Shifa but was informed that Bisan could not leave her incubator.
Nearly a year passed before Sundus learned that her daughter was alive and well at an Egyptian field hospital, identified by a pink bracelet given to her at birth. After losing other family members, she described the news of Bisan's survival as 'like a dream'.
While the return of these children signifies a small triumph during the tumultuous period marked by the ceasefire, the future in Gaza remains uncertain, caught between war and fragile peace. With ongoing control conflicts and deep-seated divisions within Gaza, the path forward remains complex as families navigate through the remnants of destruction and hope for a better future.
The toddlers were part of over 30 severely ill newborns evacuated from Gaza's Shifa Hospital in November 2023 amidst ongoing fighting. The hospital had previously been occupied by Israeli forces, who claimed Hamas was using it.
Sundus, anxiously waiting for her daughter's return at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, expressed her mixed emotions of fear and joy, concerned about her acceptance after such a lengthy separation. She had attempted to bring her infant daughter out of Shifa but was informed that Bisan could not leave her incubator.
Nearly a year passed before Sundus learned that her daughter was alive and well at an Egyptian field hospital, identified by a pink bracelet given to her at birth. After losing other family members, she described the news of Bisan's survival as 'like a dream'.
While the return of these children signifies a small triumph during the tumultuous period marked by the ceasefire, the future in Gaza remains uncertain, caught between war and fragile peace. With ongoing control conflicts and deep-seated divisions within Gaza, the path forward remains complex as families navigate through the remnants of destruction and hope for a better future.
