logo
Doctors and staff fainting on duty from hunger in Gaza as growing numbers suffer malnutrition

Doctors and staff fainting on duty from hunger in Gaza as growing numbers suffer malnutrition

"Caretakers, including UNRWA colleagues in Gaza, are also in need of care now, doctors, nurses, journalists, humanitarians, among them, UNRWA staff are hungry. Many are now fainting due to hunger and exhaustion while performing their duties," UNRWA commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement, shared by his spokesperson at a press briefing in Geneva.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is appalled by an accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza "where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing," his spokesperson said.
"He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
"Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and by other humanitarian organisations."
The Palestinian health authorities said that at least 99 people were killed in what is believed to be the deadliest day yet for families seeking aid since the war began in October 2023 – over 800 in total have been killed just trying to get food. The Israeli military has said it fired warning shots "to remove an immediate threat", but has questioned the death toll reported by the Palestinians.
The World Health Organisation said that its staff residence and main warehouse in Gazan city of Deir al-Balah was attacked three times on Monday.
Two WHO staff and two family members were detained, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, adding that three were later released, while one staff member remained in detention.
Israeli tanks pushed into southern and eastern districts of the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah for the first time on Monday, an area where Israeli sources said the military believes hostages may be held.
Israeli sources have said the reason the army had stayed out of the Deir al-Balah districts was because they suspected Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to be still alive.
Families of the hostages have expressed concern for their relatives and demanded an explanation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz and the army chief on how they will protect them.
ADVERTISEMENT
"The people of Israel will not forgive anyone who knowingly endangered the hostages - both the living and the deceased. No one will be able to claim they didn't know what was at stake," the Hostage Families Forum Headquarters said in a statement.
Gaza health officials have warned of potential "mass deaths" in coming days from hunger, which has killed at least 19 people since Saturday, the Hamas-run territory's Health Ministry said.
Health officials say hospitals have been running out of fuel, food aid and medicine, risking a halt to vital operations.
Health Ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran said medical staff have been depending on one meal a day and that hundreds of people flock to hospitals every day, suffering from fatigue and exhaustion.
In southern Gaza, the Health Ministry said an Israeli undercover unit had on Monday detained Marwan Al-Hams, head of Gaza's field hospitals, in a raid that killed a local journalist and wounded another outside a field medical facility run by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
An ICRC spokesperson said the ICRC had treated patients injured in the incident, but did not comment further on their status. It said it was "very concerned about the safety and security" around the field hospital.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Syria has asked Turkey for defence support amid sectarian clashes, officials say
Syria has asked Turkey for defence support amid sectarian clashes, officials say

Irish Examiner

time20 minutes ago

  • Irish Examiner

Syria has asked Turkey for defence support amid sectarian clashes, officials say

Syria's interim government has requested Turkey's support to strengthen its defence capabilities, Turkish officials said. It follows sectarian violence over the past two weeks that have increased tensions in Syria and drawn intervention by Israel. The defence ministry officials said that Syria has also sought assistance to combat 'terrorist organisations', including the so-called Islamic State group. Turkey – which has long expressed readiness to assist Syria – was working towards providing training, advisory services and technical support to help strengthen Syria's defence capacity, the officials added. A convoy of ambulances and buses arrives at a checkpoint in a village in southern Syria on its way to Sweida (Omar Sanadiki/AP) Tensions escalated in southern Syria last week, with violent clashes erupting between Bedouin Arab tribes and Druze militias in the province of Sweida. The conflict triggered Israeli air strikes on convoys of government forces in Sweida and on the Ministry of Defence headquarters in central Damascus, which Israel justified as efforts to protect Druze communities. Turkey, which strongly supports Syria's interim government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has been seeking a defence agreement with Syria that could reportedly include establishing Turkish military bases on Syrian territory. Ankara also backs an agreement reached between the interim Syrian administration and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate into Syria's national army. Implementation of the deal has stalled, with a major sticking point being whether the SDF would remain as a cohesive unit in the new army or be dissolved completely. Bedouin fighters gather in a village in southern Syria (Omar Sanadiki/AP) On Tuesday, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan warned Kurdish and other groups in Syria against exploiting the tensions to pursue autonomy, stating that any attempt to divide Syria would be viewed as a direct threat to Turkey's national security and could prompt intervention. Turkey considers the SDF a terrorist organisation because of its association with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has waged a long-running insurgency in Turkey. The defence ministry officials said Turkey expects the SDF to follow through on its commitments under the agreement, adding that Turkey would be 'following' the situation. The situation in Syria has increased tensions between Turkey and Israel. In April, Israel struck five cities in Syria, including more than a dozen strikes near a strategic air base in the city of Hama, where Turkey reportedly has interests in having a military presence. Israel accused Turkey of trying to build a 'protectorate' in Syria.

Graduation marred as loyalist ‘assaults' student and threatens her dad over Palestine support
Graduation marred as loyalist ‘assaults' student and threatens her dad over Palestine support

Sunday World

time39 minutes ago

  • Sunday World

Graduation marred as loyalist ‘assaults' student and threatens her dad over Palestine support

Student's father told his throat would be cut over Palestine support Police were called to a university graduation after a student's father was threatened with having his throat cut. The class of '25 were receiving their degrees in politics at a ceremony at Belfast's Waterfront Hall when a student unfurled a Palestinian flag moments after received his scroll. The display of solidarity with the people of Gaza drew thunderous applause and cheers from the audience. But it didn't meet with approval from several disgruntled guests. The Sunday World can reveal the ceremony was marred when a known loyalist with links to East Belfast UVF rounded on a father who was there to see his daughter get her degree, threatening to kill him. The proud father said he applauded the flag-carrying student 'as did most of the audience'. He said the man sitting directly in front him 'went into a rage.' 'He lost it, totally lost it, he turned round and shouted that he was going to kill me, he said he was going to slit my throat, it was full-on.' He said he refused to respond. 'I was aware of other people around me and what the day meant for everyone. I was there to see my daughter receive her degree, such a proud moment. 'I didn't want to take way from the occasion by getting into a row with this individual.' He said the incident escalated outside the main auditorium as attendees enjoyed refreshments. He said his tormentor barged into his daughter to confront him again. 'He assaulted my daughter, he absolutely assaulted her, shoving her out of the way in a really violent way,' he said. He paid tribute to the security staff who immediately intervened to prevent the situation getting out of control. 'They were great – they reacted very quickly,' he said. He said his daughter had registered a complaint with the PSNI. The PSNI confirmed they were informed of two incidents on July 10 but that no further action was being taken. 'Police received a report of an altercation in the Lanyon Place area of Belfast on Thursday, 10th of July at around midday. This matter was investigated and no offences were detected,' police told the Sunday World. 'A further report of an assault in the same area was made at around 7.30pm on Thursday, 10th of July. Enquiries were made and no complaint was received.' The Sunday World is aware of the identity of the man at the centre of the alleged assault. His social media shows him in paramilitary-style 'uniform' and posing at a UVF memorial in the east of the city. He is not thought to have any convictions. He is believed to have been at the Waterfront to support a family member who had graduated. Belfast's Waterfront Hall News in 90 Seconds - July 23rd In a separate development it has emerged that a video of the graduation ceremony posted on the University of Ulster website was initially taken down and then put back up with footage of the flag incident taken down. 'That was disappointing,' said the father who contacted the Sunday World. 'His gesture was greeted with support from the majority of the people at the Waterfront, and that is the feeling within the students and should not be edited out.' The University of Ulster confirmed a protest had taken place. 'Graduation is a significant milestone for Ulster University and our students, enjoyed in recent weeks by almost 5,000 graduates and their families across 19 ceremonies in Derry-Londonderry, Coleraine and Belfast. 'The university acknowledges that a peaceful expression of support occurred during one of these recent ceremonies. The university respects the right of freedom of expression. Alongside this, we take seriously our responsibility to maintain a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment, including at our graduation ceremonies where our primary focus is on celebrating the achievements of all our students during their time with Ulster University.' Pro-Palestine protests have become a familiar sight at graduation ceremonies across the UK this summer. This week graduates at Edinburgh University staged a mass walkout and protest. Graduates waved flags with slogans such as 'No universities in Gaza', 'Jews say divest', and 'Fund teaching not genocide' as they took to the stage. Videos on social media showed the event being interrupted as a student protester shouted from the crowd: 'How dare you? The UN has explicitly named the University of Edinburgh as one of the most significantly financially complicit universities in the Gaza genocide.' ​A large group of students were seen to rise, chanting, before walking out of the ceremony. The Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society posted other clips and reported that further protests had happened during ceremonies for biomedical sciences, engineering, chemistry, physics, and English Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur It came after a report by Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, named the University of Edinburgh as one of 'the most financially entangled' institutions in the UK to Israel. 'With both direct and indexed investments, the university ranks among the most financially entangled institutions in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,' Ms Albanese reported. Earlier in the summer a graduation ceremony at Cambridge was disrupted with pro-Palestine protesters accusing the university of being complicit in the genocide in Gaza.

Surgeons in Gaza forced to work without necessary tools
Surgeons in Gaza forced to work without necessary tools

RTÉ News​

time2 hours ago

  • RTÉ News​

Surgeons in Gaza forced to work without necessary tools

A surgeon based in Gaza has said shortages and crumbling facilities are forcing healthcare workers to provide sub-optimal care for people that have "some of the worst injuries" she has tried to treat. Canadian doctor Deirdre Nunan works at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Dr Nunan said she did not have the relevant tools to carry out the necessary surgeries as an orthopaedic surgeon. She said the Nasser Hospital is crumbling because of numerous Israeli attacks on the facility. In the big operating theatres, she said less than half of the taps work, and in the satellite operating theatres, she said there are days when they have no water or not enough power to run the air-conditioning. "We are cobbling together what is left from the storage rooms to try to piece together something that looks like orthopedic fixation using things that are the wrong size, the wrong length really providing what is unfortunately sub-optimal care in a totally unfit environment for people that have some of the worse injuries I've ever tried to treat in my life," she said. Dr Nunan said healthcare workers are working in sweltering conditions that are dangerous for patients. "I have to decide between the limited amount of time that we have in the operating room for which patient gets to go into which surgery on which day," she added. Health officials say hospitals have been running out of fuel, food aid and medicine, risking a halt to vital operations. Dr Nunan has been coming to Gaza since 2019 and is currently on her sixth tour of duty. She has been in Gaza for the past three weeks. "It's just one scene of desperation after another through the three weeks that I've been here. "There are more and more people that are living on the hospital grounds and in the hospital corridors themselves." She said the people of Gaza have almost no material possessions left, adding that children are begging for food and fresh water. "I see it worsening before my eyes" Yesterday, the head of Gaza's largest hospital has said 21 children have died due to malnutrition and starvation in the Palestinian territory in the past three days. Dr Nunan described the lives of colleagues living in tents and the ruins of their homes as lives of "bare survival". She agreed with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the last lifelines keeping people alive in Gaza were collapsing. "I see it worsening before my eyes," she said. More than 100 aid organisations have warned that "mass starvation" is spreading in the Palestinian territory as Israel is facing mounting international pressure over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the territory. Dr Nunan said the people are what bring her back to Gaza. "These are some of the most wonderful people I've ever met in the world. "I've had multi-year friendships with a lot of my colleagues that we keep in touch even when I'm not here." Despite the desperation, she said people in Gaza continue to be "so warm, so welcoming, so generous despite having nothing". She said the healthcare workers are the most dedicated and professional she has ever worked with. "For me it continues to be a privilege to come to Gaza even though I am absolutely heartbroken and extremely, extremely angry with the world for allowing this desecration to take place and for doing so little to stop it."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store