Six-month-old Siwar Ashour’s faint cry was audible even before she was carried from the bus. It was the unwavering cry of a child born into war, now temporarily escaping its grasp.

Siwar, weighing only 3kg (6.6lb) – half her expected weight – is even smaller in person. Her mother, 23-year-old Najwa, smiled describing their arrival in Jordan on Wednesday, after Siwar’s evacuation from Gaza with other Palestinian children. The silence was the most striking aspect.

“It feels like a truce,” she explained. “With God’s will, we’ll spend the night without rockets and bombings.”

Siwar was accompanied by her grandmother, Reem, and her blind father, Saleh.

“Siwar is the sole reason for this journey,” Saleh stated. “We want her to reach safety and receive treatment. She’s my daughter, my blood, and I’m deeply worried about her.”

Reem carried Siwar from the bus onto Jordanian soil, forming a V for victory.

“I still can’t believe we’re in Jordan. Seeing King Abdullah’s photo at the border filled me with such joy, I made the victory sign… for Siwar.”

In April, as reported by the BBC, Siwar’s malnutrition at Nasser hospital in southern Gaza was attributed to a shortage of specialized infant formula. Her emaciation was severe; Najwa lacked sufficient breast milk due to her own malnutrition.

The Jordanian Field Hospital and private donors provided formula, but with the Israeli blockade (partially eased three weeks prior) and escalating conflict, Siwar required more comprehensive care.

A February agreement between King Abdullah and President Trump facilitated the transfer of 2000 seriously ill children to Amman. Gaza’s overwhelmed medical system struggles with the influx of sick and wounded. Since March, 57 children and 113 escorts have been evacuated; 16, including Siwar, arrived on Wednesday.

Cradled by her grandmother, Siwar gazed at the border’s unfamiliar crowd of police, medical personnel, and journalists.

In an air-conditioned hall, Jordanian medics provided food and drinks. Peace and abundance were evident.

The parents’ and children’s exhaustion was striking, representing a collective trauma. These families have endured displacement due to Israeli evacuation orders and food shortages. Many have lost loved ones or know those who have.

Conflict often separates families. Najwa took Siwar to the hospital, separating her from Saleh for two months.

“I thought it’d be a short treatment,” Saleh recalled, “but it dragged on… I realised her condition was serious.”

We accompanied Siwar and her family to Amman. Najwa slept soundly; Siwar remained awake. The ambulance carried two boys with cancer, their mothers, and two younger siblings – one constantly crying from exhaustion and fear.

In Amman, Siwar was transferred to a nurse, then another ambulance. She’ll receive crucial testing and treatment unavailable in Gaza. Her family will finally sleep without fear.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Suha Kawar, Matthew Goddard and Malaak Hassouneh.

Their boat had been intercepted as they attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid.

Asif William Rahman used top security clearance to print and circulate documents over several months.

At least 39 reportedly die in three incidents near lorries transporting flour and aid distribution sites.

The Columbia University graduate had a key role in student protests over Gaza. Trump said his arrest was the first of “many to come”.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.

Even before six-month-old Siwar Ashour was carried from the bus, her faint cries were audible. This was the sound of resilience, of a child born into war who had, at least temporarily, escaped it.

Siwar, weighing only 3kg (6.6lb) – half her expected weight – was far smaller than any photograph could convey. Her mother, 23-year-old Najwa, smiled as she described their arrival in Jordan on Wednesday, after Siwar’s evacuation from Gaza with other Palestinian children. The immediate impact was the silence.

“It feels like a truce,” she said. “We will spend the night without rockets and bombing, God willing.”

Accompanying Siwar were her grandmother, Reem, and her blind father, Saleh.

“This trip is all about Siwar,” Saleh explained. “We want to get her to safety and ensure she receives proper medical care. She is my daughter, my blood, and I worry deeply for her.”

Reem carried Siwar from the bus onto Jordanian soil, forming a victory ‘V’ with her fingers.

“I still can’t believe we’re in Jordan. Seeing King Abdullah’s photo at the border filled me with such joy, I made the victory sign…for Siwar.”

In April, as reported by the BBC, Siwar was at Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, suffering from malnutrition due to shortages of her specialized formula. Her body was severely emaciated; Najwa was unable to breastfeed due to her own malnutrition.

While formula was eventually provided by the Jordanian Field Hospital and private donors, the Israeli blockade, partially eased three weeks prior, and the escalating conflict highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive care.

A February agreement between King Abdullah and President Trump facilitated the transfer of 2000 seriously ill children to Amman for treatment. Gaza’s overwhelmed medical system is struggling to cope. Since March, 57 children and 113 family members have been evacuated, including 16 children – among them Siwar – on Wednesday.

In her grandmother’s arms, Siwar gazed at the border’s unfamiliar crowd of police, medical personnel, and journalists. She was taken to a climate-controlled hall where Jordanian medical staff provided food and drinks. The atmosphere was one of peace and provision.

The exhaustion of parents and children was palpable. This evacuation was particularly striking for its display of collective trauma.

These families are accustomed to displacement due to Israeli evacuation orders or hours spent seeking food. Most have experienced the death of loved ones or friends.

Conflict often separates families. Najwa’s trip to the hospital with Siwar marked a two-month separation from Saleh.

“I expected a short trip, simple treatment, then return,” Saleh recalled. “But it dragged on…I realized her condition was extremely serious.”

We traveled to Amman with Siwar and her family. Najwa slept deeply while Siwar stayed awake. The ambulance also carried two boys with cancer, their mothers, and two younger siblings; one four-year-old cried constantly, exhausted and frightened.

Upon reaching Amman, Siwar was transferred to a nurse, then another ambulance. In the coming days, she will receive the care impossible in Gaza. Her family will finally sleep without fear.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Suha Kawar, Matthew Goddard and Malaak Hassouneh.

Their boat had been intercepted as they attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid.

Asif William Rahman used top security clearance to print and circulate documents over several months.

At least 39 reportedly die in three incidents near lorries transporting flour and aid distribution sites.

The Columbia University graduate had a key role in student protests over Gaza. Trump said his arrest was the first of “many to come”.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.

Six-month-old Siwar Ashour’s faint cry was audible even before she was carried from the bus. It was a cry of resilience, a testament to a child born into war, now temporarily escaping its grasp.

Siwar, weighing a mere 3kg (6.6lb)—half her expected weight—is smaller than any image could convey. Her mother, 23-year-old Najwa, smiled, recounting her emotions upon arriving in Jordan on Wednesday, following Siwar’s evacuation from Gaza with other Palestinian children. The first thing she noticed was the silence.

“It feels like a truce,” she explained. “We will spend the night without rockets and bombing, God willing.”

Siwar was accompanied by her grandmother, Reem, and her blind father, Saleh.

“Siwar is our sole priority,” Saleh stated. “We need to get her to safety and ensure she receives proper care. She is my daughter, my blood, and I am deeply concerned for her well-being.”

Reem carried Siwar off the bus onto Jordanian soil, forming a V for victory with her fingers.

“I still can’t believe we’re in Jordan. Seeing King Abdullah’s photo at the border filled me with such joy, I made the victory sign…for Siwar.”

In April, the BBC reported on Siwar’s condition at Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, where her mother and doctor described her malnutrition due to insufficient specialized formula. Her body was severely emaciated; Najwa explained her inability to breastfeed due to her own malnutrition.

Formula was eventually provided by the Jordanian Field Hospital and private donors. However, with the Israeli blockade—partially eased three weeks prior—and escalating conflict, Siwar’s situation demanded comprehensive care.

Under a February agreement between King Abdullah and President Trump, Jordan committed to providing treatment in Amman for 2000 seriously ill children. Gaza’s overwhelmed medical system is struggling to cope with the immense needs of war-wounded and ill. Since March, 57 children, along with 113 family members, have been evacuated, including 16—Siwar among them—on Wednesday.

Cradled in her grandmother’s arms, Siwar gazed at the border crowd of police, medical personnel, and journalists with wide eyes. She was taken to a climate-controlled hall where Jordanian medics offered food and drinks. Peace and abundance were palpable.

The exhaustion of parents and children was striking; this evacuation highlighted a profound collective trauma. These families have endured displacement due to Israeli evacuation orders, and have queued for hours seeking food. If they haven’t experienced personal loss, they know others who have.

Conflict often separates families; Najwa took Siwar to the hospital, and her husband Saleh was separated from them for two months.

“I expected a short trip, simple treatment, and a swift return,” he recalled. “But the delay shocked me…I finally understood the severity of her condition.”

We traveled to Amman with Siwar and her family. Najwa slept deeply; Siwar stayed awake in her grandmother’s arms. Two boys with cancer, their mothers, and two younger siblings shared the ambulance. A four-year-old sibling cried incessantly, exhausted and frightened.

Upon reaching Amman, Siwar was transferred to a nurse and then another ambulance. In the coming days, she’ll receive tests and treatment impossible in Gaza. Her family, her guardians, will finally sleep without fear.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Suha Kawar, Matthew Goddard and Malaak Hassouneh.

Their boat had been intercepted as they attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid.

Asif William Rahman used top security clearance to print and circulate documents over several months.

At least 39 reportedly die in three incidents near lorries transporting flour and aid distribution sites.

The Columbia University graduate had a key role in student protests over Gaza. Trump said his arrest was the first of “many to come”.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.

Six-month-old Siwar Ashour’s faint cries were audible even before she was carried from the bus. Her voice, a testament to resilience, belonged to a child born into war, now temporarily escaping its grasp.

Siwar, smaller than any image could portray, weighed a mere 3kg (6.6lb), half her expected weight. Her mother, 23-year-old Najwa, smiled recounting their arrival in Jordan on Wednesday, where Siwar was evacuated from Gaza alongside other Palestinian children. The immediate contrast was profound: the quiet.

“It feels like a truce,” she shared. “God willing, we’ll spend the night without rockets and bombing.”

Siwar was accompanied by her grandmother, Reem, and her blind father, Saleh.

“Siwar is the sole purpose of this journey,” Saleh explained. “To bring her to safety and secure her treatment. She’s my daughter, my blood, and I’m deeply worried about her.”

Reem carried Siwar off the bus onto Jordanian soil, forming a V for victory. “I still can’t believe we’re in Jordan,” she said. “Seeing King Abdullah’s photo at the border filled me with joy; I made the victory sign…for Siwar.”

In April, as reported by the BBC, Siwar, at Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, suffered from malnutrition due to insufficient access to specialized formula. Her body was severely emaciated; Najwa couldn’t breastfeed due to her own malnutrition.

While formula was eventually provided by the Jordanian Field Hospital and private donors, the Israeli blockade, partially eased three weeks prior, and escalating conflict made it evident that Siwar required comprehensive care.

Under a February agreement between King Abdullah and President Trump, Jordan committed to providing treatment in Amman for 2000 critically ill children. Gaza’s overwhelmed medical system couldn’t cope with the influx of sick and wounded. Since March, 57 children and 113 family members have been evacuated; 16, including Siwar, arrived on Wednesday.

Cradled by her grandmother, Siwar gazed at the border’s unfamiliar crowd of police, medical personnel, and journalists. She was taken to a climate-controlled hall where Jordanian medics provided refreshments. Peace and abundance contrasted sharply with their recent past.

The parents’ and children’s exhaustion was palpable. This evacuation, amidst several covered, was uniquely striking in its collective trauma.

These families have endured displacement due to Israeli evacuation orders and long queues for food. If not directly touched by death, they know those who have been killed.

Conflict often separates families. Najwa took Siwar to the hospital; it was two months before Saleh saw them again.

“I thought it would be a short trip,” he recalled. “But it dragged on…then I realized her condition was very serious.”

We accompanied Siwar and her family to Amman. Najwa slept soundly; Siwar remained awake. The ambulance also carried two boys with cancer, their mothers, and two younger siblings. A four-year-old cried constantly, exhausted and frightened.

Upon reaching Amman, Siwar was transferred to nurses and another ambulance. In the coming days, she’ll receive essential testing and treatment, unavailable in Gaza. Her family, her guardians, will finally sleep without fear.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Suha Kawar, Matthew Goddard and Malaak Hassouneh.

Their boat had been intercepted as they attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid.

Asif William Rahman used top security clearance to print and circulate documents over several months.

At least 39 reportedly die in three incidents near lorries transporting flour and aid distribution sites.

The Columbia University graduate had a key role in student protests over Gaza. Trump said his arrest was the first of “many to come”.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.

Six-month-old Siwar Ashour’s faint cry was audible even before she was carried from the bus. It was the unwavering cry of a child born into war, finally escaping its grasp, at least temporarily.

Siwar, weighing a mere 3kg (6.6lb)—half her expected weight—appeared even smaller in person. Her mother, 23-year-old Najwa, smiled, recounting their arrival in Jordan on Wednesday, where Siwar was evacuated from Gaza with other Palestinian children. The first thing she noticed was the silence.

“It feels like a truce,” she explained. “God willing, we’ll spend the night without rockets and bombing.”

Accompanying Siwar were her grandmother, Reem, and her blind father, Saleh.

“Siwar’s safety is our sole priority,” Saleh stated. “We want to ensure her well-being and treatment. She is my daughter, my blood, and I’m deeply worried about her.”

Reem carried Siwar off the bus, forming a V for victory as they stepped onto Jordanian soil.

“I still can’t believe we’re in Jordan. Seeing King Abdullah’s photo at the border filled me with such joy that I made the victory sign…for Siwar.”

In April, as previously reported by the BBC, Siwar was filmed at Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, suffering from malnutrition due to shortages of her specialized formula. Her body was severely emaciated; Najwa explained her inability to breastfeed due to her own malnutrition.

While the Jordanian Field Hospital and private donors provided formula, the Israeli blockade (partially eased three weeks prior) and escalating conflict made it clear Siwar required comprehensive care.

A February agreement between King Abdullah and President Trump facilitated Jordan’s offer to treat 2000 severely ill children in Amman.

Gaza’s overwhelmed medical system struggles to cope. Since March, 57 children and 113 family members have been evacuated, including 16 children, Siwar among them, on Wednesday.

Cradled by her grandmother, Siwar gazed at the border’s assembled police, medical personnel, and journalists. She was taken to an air-conditioned hall where Jordanian medics provided food and drinks. Peace and abundance reigned.

The parents’ and children’s exhaustion was striking. Among several months of covering these evacuations, this one revealed a profound collective trauma.

These families understand displacement from Israeli evacuation orders and long food queues. If not personally experiencing loss, they’ve known those affected by the conflict’s violence.

Families are frequently separated. Najwa took Siwar to the hospital, marking a two-month separation from Saleh.

“I expected a short hospital stay, a simple treatment,” he recalled. “But the length of her treatment shocked me…and eventually I realized her condition’s severity.”

We traveled with Siwar and her family to Amman, where Najwa slept soundly while Siwar remained awake. The ambulance also carried two boys with cancer, their mothers, and two younger siblings; one sibling, four years old, cried incessantly from exhaustion and fear.

Upon reaching Amman, Siwar was transferred to a nurse and another ambulance. In the following days, she’ll receive the treatment unavailable in Gaza. And her family—those who protect her—will sleep without fear.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Suha Kawar, Matthew Goddard and Malaak Hassouneh.

Their boat had been intercepted as they attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid.

Asif William Rahman used top security clearance to print and circulate documents over several months.

At least 39 reportedly die in three incidents near lorries transporting flour and aid distribution sites.

The Columbia University graduate had a key role in student protests over Gaza. Trump said his arrest was the first of “many to come”.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.