Gaza baby pulled alive from rubble after night under debris of Israeli strikes

Gaza’s civil defence teams have been praised after rescuing a baby who was trapped overnight beneath the rubble of a destroyed home, following deadly Israeli airstrikes on the Sabra neighbourhood in Gaza City.

Emergency workers spent hours digging through the debris after the strikes flattened residential buildings, leaving civilians buried under concrete, wood, and metal. Dramatic images shared online by journalists show crews carefully lifting slabs from the baby’s abdomen and legs during the rescue operation.

Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif commented on the rescue: "This is the reality for children in Gaza. If they survive the bombs, they are often left wounded, traumatised, or buried beneath the rubble of their homes. They grow up not with toys, but with the sounds of drones and airstrikes."

The baby, whose name has not yet been released, was one of several civilians pulled from the wreckage. According to local reports, civil defence teams also rescued a mother and three of her children from the same area.

Mohamad Safa, a Lebanese diplomat and UN representative, wrote on X: "The baby who remained under the rubble all night in Gaza has made it safely. I see no one sharing. If [the baby] were dead, everyone would share. Share positivity."

The widely circulated images of the baby have sparked international condemnation of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and renewed attention on the toll it has taken on children.

"The picture says it all: an attempt to rescue a baby from beneath the rubble of his home. What did the children do to deserve living through and feeling the pain and bitterness of war?" one user wrote on X. Others called the scenes an "unfathomable injustice".

Gaza's civil defence teams and the Palestinian Ministry of Health have repeatedly warned that Israel’s ongoing blockade and bombardment have crippled emergency response capabilities. Rescue crews are operating without proper equipment, and ambulances have been immobilised due to fuel shortages. Most hospitals and medical facilities across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed.

The latest developments come as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported this week that more than 50,000 Palestinian children have been killed or wounded since October 2023.

UNRWA also noted that humanitarian workers, medical personnel, and journalists continue to be killed in the course of Israel's military operations.

Earlier this year, records showed that over 38,000 Palestinian children have been orphaned and at least 13,901 women widowed since the start of Israel’s assault.