After two years of pain and separation, Palestinian girl Bisan Al-Kurd has returned to her family in Gaza after being transferred to Egypt. The emotional reunion filled with tears and joy has rekindled hope in the hearts of her grieving family.
In the courtyard of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, mother Sundus Al-Kurd embraced her daughter Bisan as she arrived from Egypt, having known nothing about her during that time except for questions hanging between life and death. The meeting was not ordinary; it was a blend of tears and astonishment, as if time had stopped to return to her what had been taken away.
Details of the Reunion Event
Sundus gazed at her little girl's features, trying to memorize every detail she had missed, while Bisan touched her mother's face as if she were recognizing her for the first time. Two years of absence were condensed into a single embrace that carried everything unspoken and everything lost. Bisan was not the only child to return to her family; she was one of 11 children who survived the massacre and returned to their families in the Gaza Strip last Monday after an absence of more than two years.
The story began on October 22, 2023, in the Beit Lahiya project, when the family home collapsed on its inhabitants, causing Sundus Al-Kurd (29 years old) to suffer severe injuries throughout her body while she was in her eighth month of pregnancy. She was rushed to the Indonesian Hospital and then to the Shifa Medical Complex, where she underwent an emergency cesarean section amid bombardment and lack of resources, giving birth to her daughter without even being able to see her, as the newborn was immediately transferred to the nursery while she was admitted to intensive care.
Background & Context
With the subsequent invasion of the hospital and the intensification of the siege, several premature infants were evacuated after the machines stopped, and Bisan's whereabouts disappeared amid the chaos, while the family lived through successive seasons of loss, which included the martyrdom of several of its members. Sundus left the hospital with severe injuries to begin a life of displacement, while her daughter's fate remained unknown.
However, in May 2025, a glimmer of hope appeared when information came from a nurse about a child from Gaza in Egypt whose identity was unknown. Through the birth bracelet placed on her wrist at that time, which bore her mother's name, the truth was revealed: Bisan had been transferred with other premature infants to a care center in Cairo, where she received treatment until her condition improved.
Impact & Consequences
Mother Sundus told Al Jazeera Net: "Today is my daughter's true birthday when I saw her for the first time after more than two years of absence. I felt as if I were living the moment late, but with indescribable joy. I had been counting her years in my heart, imagining her features, and fearing she might have left without me saying goodbye."
She added: "When I finally met her, I could not comprehend that this child was my daughter whom I had waited for all this time. I looked at her face for a long time, as if I were trying to reclaim everything I had missed in her life in a single moment. It was a moment unlike anything between crying and joy."
Regional Significance
Bisan's story embodies the suffering of many Palestinian families who have lost their children amid the harsh conditions in Gaza. Bisan's return to her family is not just a family event; it reflects hope and resilience in the face of the brutality of war. This incident also highlights the importance of humanitarian support in times of crisis and sheds light on the suffering of children in armed conflicts.
In conclusion, Bisan Al-Kurd's story remains a symbol of hope and resilience, reflecting humanity's ability to overcome crises and emphasizing the necessity of providing protection for children during armed conflicts.