A hug after two years of absence.. 11 children from 'Al-Shifa Premature Babies' return to their families in Gaza

In a humanitarian scene overflowing with mixed emotions of joy and astonishment, the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis received 11 premature babies who had grown up away from their families for two full years. These children, who left the Strip as infants unaware of the harshness of war, returned today with changed features that summarize a long absence imposed by the ongoing war of extermination on the Gaza Strip.

The meeting held at the medical complex was not ordinary, as mothers' tears flowed as they hugged their children for the first time since their birth under exceptional circumstances. The new batch of children arrived accompanied by specialized teams from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), amidst medical procedures to ensure their safety after the arduous return journey.

The roots of this tragedy go back to the first days of the aggression, specifically when the Israeli army stormed Al-Shifa Medical Complex in November 2023. At that time, the hospital turned into a battlefield, threatening the lives of dozens of premature babies who depended on incubators and oxygen to survive.

Medical sources reported that the evacuation operation at the time included 31 premature babies, who were transferred from Al-Shifa Hospital, which lacked the most basic medical necessities due to the siege and direct targeting. These children were transferred to Egyptian hospitals to receive the necessary care, while their families remained in Gaza facing an unknown fate under bombardment.

For his part, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Munir Al-Barsh, recalled the difficult moments that preceded the evacuation, describing them as a struggle with death. Al-Barsh explained that medical teams watched the small lives wither before their eyes as fuel ran out and incubators fell silent, amidst international appeals that did not find a quick response.

Al-Barsh added that the rescue journey began under a suffocating siege, where doctors moved children between hospital corridors in search of warmth or oxygen. He considered the return of these children today a victory for life over the machine of destruction that tried to bury their dreams in their early days.

Among the most painful stories was the testimony of young Ahmed Al-Harsh, who received his child today after losing his entire family in an Israeli raid. Al-Harsh believed that his child had been martyred with his mother and siblings, only to be surprised later that the infant had survived and was transferred with convoys of premature babies abroad without his knowledge.

Al-Harsh recounted how he learned of his wife's injury before her death, and how she left him this child who was born in his eighth month to be the sole survivor of the family. Today, after two years of bitter waiting, the father embraces his child whom he had only seen in short photos and videos that reached him through international intermediaries.

In another corner of the hospital, mother Rawan Al-Wadiya was embracing her daughter 'Sham' who left Gaza when she was not more than seven months old. The mother, with tears in her eyes, said that she did not know if her daughter was alive or had been martyred, until she accidentally saw her photos on social media from inside an Egyptian hospital.

Al-Wadiya described the moment of reunion as 'the return of the soul to the body', noting that she had been counting the days and hours waiting for this moment. She affirmed that her daughter, who grew up away from her, would need a long time to get used to her embrace again, but the most important thing is that she returned safely from the journey of death and forced displacement.

Initial medical examinations undergone by the children immediately upon their arrival confirmed the stability of their general health condition, despite their urgent need for special psychological and physical care. Medical sources indicated that the children would undergo a rehabilitation program to help them reintegrate into their family environments from which they had been deprived for a long time.

The Palestinian street's reaction to this return was widespread and moving, with activists considering the story of the premature babies a chilling tragedy that reflects the cruelty of the occupation. Bloggers pointed out that the most difficult part of the scene was some children not recognizing their relatives, due to the large time gap they spent in exile.

Observers confirmed that this issue opens the file of hundreds of children who were scattered or lost their families during the war, which requires international efforts to document their cases and return them. The story of these 11 children remains a symbol of hope amidst the rubble of destruction, and a living testament to the resilience of the Palestinian people in the face of attempts at extermination and displacement.

In conclusion, the biggest challenge facing these families is rebuilding emotional ties with their children who grew up in exceptional circumstances and away from parental affection. Nevertheless, the joy that filled the Nasser Medical Complex today confirms that the will to live in Gaza is still stronger than all attempts at marginalization and killing.

Souls returned from death.. The story of Al-Shifa children is a rescue journey that began under siege and ends with the return of life to Gaza.