Premature Baby Girl, Rescued from Mother's Womb After Her Death, Dies in Gaza After 5 Days in Incubator

A premature Palestinian infant, Sabreen Jouda, who was rescued from her mother's womb shortly after the woman was killed in an Israeli airstrike on their home in Rafah, Gaza Strip, has died in a Gaza hospital five days later. The infant was delivered by emergency cesarean section and kept in an incubator in a neonatal intensive care unit, but her health deteriorated and medical teams were unable to save her, according to her uncle Rami al-Sheikh.

Sabreen's parents, Sabreen al-Sakani and Shukri Jouda, as well as her 4-year-old sister Malak, were also killed in the April 21 airstrike that destroyed their home. Al-Sheikh expressed grief over the loss of the entire family, saying "My brother's family is completely wiped out. It's been deleted from the civil registry. There is no trace of him left behind."

Why this matters: The death of this infant, born in the midst of ongoing violence, emphasizes the devastating human toll of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Palestinian civilians, particularly women and children. It also sheds light on the challenges faced by Gaza's overburdened medical system in providing care for the most vulnerable during times of crisis.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed during the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023, with about two-thirds of the dead being women and children, according to local health officials. Israel declared war on Hamas and unleashed air and ground offensives in Gaza in response to militant attacks on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage.

The airstrike that killed Sabreen's family was part of Israel's ongoing military operations in Rafah as it prepares for a possible offensive in the city, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people have sought refuge. Israel has conducted near-daily raids in Rafah, which it says are aimed at targeting Hamas fighters and infrastructure.

The infant Sabreen, born weighing just 1.4kg and in severe respiratory distress due to her premature birth, became a symbol of the war's toll on innocent lives. Dr. Fadi al-Najjar, who cared for the baby in the hospital, said "We tried to do everything possible to save her life, but unfortunately, we failed. This is a very sad day for us." The infant's death has left her extended family devastated as they confront the loss of multiple loved ones in the ongoing conflict.

Key Takeaways

• Premature Palestinian infant Sabreen Jouda died 5 days after being rescued from dead mother's womb.
• Sabreen's parents and 4-year-old sister were also killed in an Israeli airstrike on their Gaza home.
• Ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
• Gaza's overburdened medical system struggles to care for vulnerable during crises like this.
• Infant Sabreen's death symbolizes the devastating human toll of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians.