Gaza: Preterm infant reunited with mother after Egyptian evacuation

Bissan, a child born prematurely following an Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahiya in October 2023, has been reunited with her mother in Gaza after spending her early months in Egypt. The airstrike that injured her mother, Sundus al-Kurd, led to Bissan's early delivery and subsequent evacuation to Egypt in an incubator as part of a group of 29 preterm infants.

While seven infants from that group died in Egypt, Bissan survived and grew up in Egyptian hospitals and care homes. Following a UN-assisted mission during a ceasefire, Bissan and 10 other evacuated children were returned to Gaza.

Despite the reunion, the transition has been difficult. Bissan, now 2.5 years old, initially did not recognize her mother and continues to struggle with the psychological impact of living in a conflict zone, often reacting with fear to loud noises and explosions.