Eleven toddlers born prematurely in Gaza during the war have returned home after more than two years in Egypt. The children were evacuated from besieged Al-Shifa Hospital in November 2023 when Israeli forces stormed the facility, claiming Hamas used it for military purposes. Parents wept with joy as they reunited with children who had grown into toddlers during their separation, some barely recognizing their mothers.

The evacuation of 31 premature newborns from Al-Shifa occurred under "extremely intense and high-risk security conditions," according to WHO officials. Five babies died during the initial hospital raid, while seven others perished in Egypt. The children's return through the reopened Rafah crossing highlights the devastation of Gaza's healthcare system, where more than 80% of structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Bisan al-Kurd, now 2 years old, recognized her mother immediately upon reunion. "When she saw me, she came straight into my arms," her mother recalled. One child still awaits identification by hospital staff. The children's return serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of the conflict that began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which left over 70,000 Palestinians dead and countless families displaced.