Baby Siwar Returns to Gaza Hospital After Jordan Treatment, Faces New Health Crisis
December 22, 2025
Baby Siwar Ashour, a one-year-old Palestinian girl, is back in hospital in Gaza after returning from medical treatment in Jordan. She was repatriated on 3 December after six months in a Jordanian hospital. Her grandmother, Sahar Ashour, said Siwar became sick just three days after coming back. "She started having diarrhoea and vomiting and her situation keeps getting worse. The diarrhoea won't go away," she told a BBC journalist. Siwar is now receiving treatment at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza. Dr Khalil al-Daqran said to the BBC, "She is receiving the necessary treatment, but the situation is still bad for her." The girl suffers from a gastro-intestinal infection and an immune system deficiency. She also struggles to absorb nutrition, needing special baby formula. Hospitals in Gaza face growing child patient numbers after damage to infrastructure. Dr al-Daqran said, "Since the ceasefire was announced, the number of child patients arriving at Gaza Strip hospitals is three times the capacity…" Shortages of medicine, supplies, and electric generators make the challenge worse. The World Health Organization called Gaza's humanitarian needs "staggering," with help covering only basic survival. Siwar was evacuated to Jordan in June after the BBC reported her case. Jordan has treated 45 children, including Siwar, who were returned to Gaza after treatment was done. Jordan’s Minister of Communications, Dr Mohammed al-Momani, explained, "No patient is sent back before they finish their medical treatment… We have to take them in batches. So far we have taken 18 batches." On returning, Siwar’s family faced problems. Israeli officials confiscated nine out of 12 cans of special hypoallergenic milk formula her family had been given in Jordan. Her mother Najwa Ashour said, "Even though it is therapeutic milk and they said that treatment is allowed, yet they took them." Clothing was also taken away during strict Israeli searches. An Israeli government spokesperson said this was for "security considerations" and only minimal luggage was allowed. The WHO urges more countries to offer medical evacuations for Gaza patients who cannot receive needed care locally. It also called on Israel to allow treatment in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, but this has been stopped since October 7, the date of deadly Hamas attacks. Since returning, Siwar’s family received milk formula and donations. Jordanian officials also provide help. Efforts to evacuate Siwar again have begun, managed by the WHO with permits from Palestinian health officials. The UN calls Gaza a "wasteland" due to its severe crisis. With additional reporting by Malak Hassouneh, Suha Kawar, and Alice Doyard.
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Tags:
Gaza
Baby Siwar
Medical Evacuation
Jordan
Health Crisis
Humanitarian aid
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