In the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, 29 premature babies were evacuated from Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, and taken to Egypt for urgent treatment. The babies were transported to Al-Helal L-Emirati Maternity Hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza, before being transferred to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing. The babies are fighting serious infections and require immediate medical care.

The evacuation comes as the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza accuses Israel of launching a deadly strike on the Indonesian Hospital in the territory, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 people, including patients. The Gaza health ministry also reports that hundreds of people are trapped inside the besieged medical centre. The dire humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen, with shortages of electricity, fuel, and medical supplies leading to a collapse of services in hospitals.

With over 13,000 people killed in the conflict, including thousands of children, pressure is mounting for a ceasefire and an end to the suffering. Efforts are being made for the release of some of the 240 hostages that Hamas militants took during their October 7 attacks on Israel. Diplomatic efforts are also underway to try and secure a ceasefire and deal between the two sides.