A government official in Egypt announced that a convoy of premature babies arrived in Egypt from Gaza on Monday. These infants entered Egypt through the Rafah crossing, the only opening to the outside world that is not under Israeli control. The transfer of these babies was part of a coordinated effort by the Palestinian Red Crescent, World Health Organization (WHO), and other organizations to provide them with necessary medical treatment.
On Sunday, 31 babies were moved from Al-Shifa to Rafah, with three receiving treatment at the Emirates Hospital in Rafah, according to the WHO. The Israeli army claimed to have assisted in the evacuation of babies from Al-Shifa on Sunday.
Upon arrival in Egypt on Monday, 16 infants were taken to Al-Arich hospital in Egyptian Red Crescent ambulances equipped with incubators. However, there were not enough incubators available at Al-Arich hospital, so some children had to be transferred to other hospitals in Ismailia or Cairo. According to a medical source, all the babies suffered from serious infections and needed medical attention, with eleven in critical condition.
During their evacuation from Al-Shifa, the infants were not accompanied by any family members, as the Ministry of Health did not have sufficient information to locate their relatives. Originally, 39 premature babies were present at Al-Shifa, and eight of them sadly passed away before the evacuation took place.