Evacuated Preterm Infants Return to Gaza from Egypt

Eleven preterm infants returned to the Gaza Strip in March 2026 after being evacuated to Egypt in November 2023. The children were part of a group of 29 infants moved from a neonatal ward as Israeli forces advanced. The United Nations assisted the return mission during a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Many of the children spent nearly two years in Egyptian hospitals and care homes. Families report that some infants now struggle to recognize or bond with their parents. One child, Ibrahim, reunited only with his father because his mother died shortly after the initial evacuation.

The children are now adapting to life in a war zone. Families report that continued Israeli airstrikes cause psychological distress and panic among the infants. In one instance, an airstrike hit the family home of a girl named Bissan in Beit Lahiya.