In a significant humanitarian operation, twenty-eight premature babies from Gaza arrived safely in Egypt on Monday after being evacuated from the war-torn Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza. The infants were transported in a convoy of ambulances, marking a critical step in providing them with the specialized medical care they urgently need.
“Each of them has serious infections, and quite a few of them have a low body temperature,” said Dr. Rick Brennan from the World Health Organization (WHO) in an interview. “They really do need detailed specialist care.”
The newborns were patients at Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, which has been overwhelmed due to medical services collapsing amid a lack of fuel and damage from ongoing conflicts. Following Israel’s retaliatory ground and air attacks on Gaza City, the hospital struggled to maintain operations, putting the vulnerable infants at heightened risk.
Initially transferred to Al-Hilal Hospital in southern Gaza, the babies were then moved to Egypt for further treatment. The evacuation was a coordinated effort aiming to save the lives of these infants, who require intensive neonatal care unavailable under the current conditions in Gaza.
CGTN spoke with Mohamed Salama, the head of the Neonatal Unit, to learn more about the condition of the babies. The medical team is now focused on stabilizing the infants and addressing their immediate health concerns.
The evacuation highlights the dire situation for civilians, especially children, in conflict zones and underscores the importance of international cooperation in humanitarian crises.
Reference(s):
Premature babies evacuated from Gaza's main hospital to Egypt
cgtn.com
