Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Despite protection under international humanitarian law, Gaza's healthcare system has suffered catastrophic damage during Israel's war in the Palestinian enclave. Near-total destruction of medical infrastructure and a critical shortage of personnel and resources has left injured civilians unable to receive adequate treatment.
Israeli military attacks have destroyed homes and infrastructure across the coastal strip, but appear to have particularly targeted medical facilities, which it claims have served as cover for the militant group Hamas that Israel has vowed to destroy. Gaza's Health Ministry says that besides killing more than 50,800 Palestinians over the course of 18 months of war, most of them civilians, the attacks have left more than 115,000 injured.
“During the Israeli genocide, medical and healthcare teams worked tirelessly to provide services to citizens,” Dr Khalil Al Daqran, a ministry spokesman, told The National. "However, the situation was extremely difficult. Our teams were overwhelmed by the intensity of attacks, the enormous number of injuries, and a severe shortage of supplies and staff.
“The [Israeli] occupation deliberately targeted healthcare facilities, taking them out of service and crippling our ability to respond to the escalating humanitarian emergency. The hospitals that remained operational were running round the clock at full capacity, doing everything possible to save lives.”
Targeting medical complexes
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed about 1,200 about people and took an estimated 250 hostage during raids in southern Israel, 34 out of 38 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been completely or partly destroyed in air strikes, shelling and raids by Israeli troops.
Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, the largest medical complex in the territory, was stormed twice, in November 2023 and last April. Medical staff were arrested and the hospital was destroyed.
Patient’s Friends Hospital, also in Gaza city, was stormed in February last year and later hit by air strikes in July. It went out of service but operations have been partially restored.
Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, was stormed a number of times between December 2023 and December last year, with staff and patients detained. Military raids and air strikes have left it in ruins. The Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia was raided in November 2023 and again in October 2024, with parts destroyed and set on fire.
Al Awda Hospital in Jabalia, northern Gaza, was stormed in November 2023. Parts of the hospital were damaged in shelling and it remained under siege for months.
Abu Youssef Al Najjar Hospital, the only major medical complex in the southern city of Rafah, was severely damaged early in the war and rendered inoperable. Although it remained standing during the Israeli military's assault on the city last May, it is now flattened.
Nasser Hospital, in the southern city of Khan Younis, was stormed in February last year, with some staff and patients killed or arrested. Another hospital in the city, Al Amal, was raided and hit by air strikes in the same month, resulting in casualties and destruction of infrastructure.
In addition to hospitals, Israeli strikes led to the closure of at least 80 health centres, including emergency clinics and first-aid units that provided critical medical services across Gaza, the ministry says.
The ministry has also reported the destruction of 162 medical institutions, run by both government and non-profit organisations. Key administrative, financial and storage facilities belonging to the ministry were targeted.
Emergency transport was not spared – more than 140 ambulances have been destroyed, paralysing Gaza’s already strained emergency response system.
Heavy toll of health workers
The war has exacted a heavy toll on Gaza’s medical personnel. More than 1,060 health workers have been killed, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and administrators, the ministry says. An additional 3,500 medical personnel have been injured and about 360 were arrested, prompting a severe shortage of skilled professionals at a time of dire need.
Dr Adnan Al Bursh, one of Gaza’s most renowned surgeons, was detained when troops raided Al Awda Hospital in December 2023 and he later died in Israeli custody. Dr Hossam Abu Safiyah, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, was arrested in December after forces laid siege to the complex and remains in Israeli custody.
In the most recent incident, eight members of the Palestinian Red Crescent were killed along with six civil defence workers and a UN staff member when Israeli troops attacked their convoy as they were responding to calls for assistance in Rafah.
“Throughout the genocide, we worked intensely with our remaining teams to rehabilitate damaged hospitals and bring them back into service,” said Dr Al Daqran. “But we are suffering from a major shortage of healthcare professionals due to the killing and detention of so many.”
Gaza is in urgent need of international medical assistance, he added. “We desperately need external medical teams and field hospitals to fill the gap. Delays in treatment worsen the crisis – especially as the occupation continues its relentless siege on Gaza’s civilian population.”
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Company%C2%A0profile
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The%20Sandman
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 2 Bournemouth 1
United: Sharp (45 2'), Lundstram (84')
Bournemouth: C Wilson (13')
Man of the Match: Jack O’Connell (Sheffield United)
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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Stage results
1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:39:05
2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time
4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t
5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t
7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t
8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t
9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo s.t
10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t
Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
SPECS
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Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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WISH
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