Emergency Evacuation: Critical Condition of 31 Babies from Al-Shifa Hospital
Despite the perilous conditions and ongoing conflict, a daring operation saw 31 critically ill babies evacuated from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza with the aid of international agencies, ensuring their chances of survival
On Sunday, a dangerous mission took place to rescue thirty-one infants from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Multiple international agencies collaborated with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PCRS) to swiftly transfer the newborns in ambulances amidst ongoing combat. Concerns still linger about the babies' well-being, but they were successfully relocated to the Al-Helal Al-Emirati Maternity Hospital in southern Gaza. Additionally, an Egyptian government source informed CNN that the infants will be transported to Egypt on Monday.
Al-Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital, has become a pivotal point in Israel's war in the besieged enclave. Israel's military accuses Hamas of utilizing the facility as a protective shield for its activities and carried out a raid on the hospital last Wednesday. Hamas, along with hospital officials, refutes Israel's allegations.
According to a statement by the World Health Organization (WHO), a joint United Nations humanitarian assessment team conducted a one-hour visit to the hospital on Saturday and characterized it as a "zone of death."
The hospital corridors and grounds were overrun with medical and solid waste, posing a heightened risk of infection. Those interviewed, including patients and healthcare workers, expressed fear for their safety and well-being and urgently requested evacuation. The hospital had been surrounded by relentless bombing for several days, leaving thousands of staff, patients, and civilians trapped inside. As information emerged about newborn babies struggling to survive, public outrage grew even stronger.
Several newborns in Palestine have tragically lost their lives due to power outages and a scarcity of vital medical resources. Hospital personnel have detailed the distressing situation of manually relocating infants from incubators when fuel ran out, resorting to using foil wraps to maintain their warmth. Presently, these 31 evacuated babies find themselves in Rafah, a southern city in Gaza positioned adjacent to Egypt's border. This location is crucial as it enables the receipt of limited aid and the safe evacuation of foreign nationals through the nearby Rafah crossing.
At the Rafah border on Monday, images captured Egyptian health workers standing alongside ambulances and incubators, awaiting the arrival of the babies. While there was optimism that the parents of these newborns would be able to journey to safety alongside their children, the World Health Organization noted that only a small number of infants were accompanied by family members.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Gazan officials had insufficient information and were unable to locate close family members.
Ali Sbeiti, a father, was successfully reunited with his newborn son Anas, who was born just three days prior to the commencement of the war.
Sbeiti expressed relief and gratitude, saying, "We are thankful to God that our son is finally safe, as we had not seen him for over two weeks. The uncertainty of his well-being was agonizing, especially with the communication breakdown with the doctors." The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, coupled with the fuel shortage-induced blackout, has significantly hindered the distribution of aid and posed challenges for Palestinians seeking assistance.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), doctors at Rafah hospital have confirmed that the 31 babies who were evacuated are currently battling severe infections. The WHO further stated that 11 of these infants are in critical condition, pointing out that their illness was caused by the shortage of medical supplies at Al-Shifa Hospital.
"We are currently conducting tests on all the infants, administering necessary fluids and medication based on their individual conditions," explained Dr. Mohammad Salamah, a doctor at Al-Helal Al-Emarati Maternity Hospital.
"At present, the babies are in a challenging but stable condition; however, there is a possibility of further deterioration, particularly due to the uncertainty of maintaining electricity supply if Gaza does not receive sufficient fuel."
UNICEF, in coordination with other UN agencies and PCRS, conducted the evacuation of the babies under highly perilous circumstances. The organization emphasized that the babies' condition was rapidly worsening. This evacuation became necessary after the tragic loss of multiple babies and the complete breakdown of medical services at Al-Shifa.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Sunday that additional missions are being organized to safely evacuate the remaining patients and staff from Al-Shifa, pending assurance from all parties involved in the conflict. This is an ongoing situation and updates will be provided.
CNNs Martin Goillandeau, Sharon Braithwaite, Eleni Giokos, Sophie Tanno, Hamdi Alkhshali and Oren Liebermann contributed reporting.
