Gaza health system ‘extremely fragile' as aid point killings increase: ICRC
Gaza's healthcare system is 'extremely fragile' amid the ongoing Israeli war, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned.
The organisation said in a statement on Sunday that the enclave's hospitals are in urgent need of protection and reinforcement amid Israel's continued bombardment and blockade. It added that the system is facing growing pressure due to increasing casualty rates from Israeli attacks at aid points.
'In the last two weeks, the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah has had to activate its mass casualty incident procedure 12 times, receiving high numbers of patients with gunshot and shrapnel wounds,' ICRC said in a statement on X on Sunday.
'An overwhelming majority of patients from the recent incidents said they had been trying to reach assistance distribution sites,' it continued.
Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire around aid distribution sites operated by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since it launched on May 27.
The organisation ousted the United Nations and other independent agencies from the aid distribution effort following an 11-week blockade of the enclave that prompted numerous warnings that many of Gaza's people now face famine.
Gaza's Government Media Office reported on Sunday that the death toll from events centred on the GHF aid sites had risen to 125. A further 736 are reported to have been wounded, with nine missing.
The Hamas-run office said 13 people were killed and 153 injured in the latest attacks. Israeli forces were reported to have opened fire on civilians gathered near aid distribution centres east of Rafah and Wadi Gaza Bridge, in central Gaza.
Witness Abdallah Nour al-Din told the AFP news agency that 'people started gathering in the al-Alam area of Rafah' in the early morning.
'After about an hour and a half, hundreds moved towards the site and the army opened fire,' he said.
The Israeli military said it fired on people who 'continued advancing in a way that endangered the soldiers' despite warnings.
A GHF statement said there had been no incidents 'at any of our three sites' on Sunday.
The Red Cross also expressed concern that the intensifying conflict is putting the enclave's few functional medical facilities at risk.
'Recent days have seen an increase in hostilities around the few remaining and functional hospitals,' it said in the statement.
'This has made patient transfers between facilities increasingly challenging, and in many cases, patients cannot receive the intensive or specialized care they require.'
The ICRC warned that further loss of life is inevitable without urgent action and called for the protection of healthcare infrastructure and personnel.
'It requires taking all feasible steps to support their work, ensure their safety, and guarantee that they are not deprived of vital resources needed to carry out their work.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ukraine's Ministry of Health signs deal to rebuild Okhmatdyt hospital after missile strike
A contract has been signed for the renovation of the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv. Source: Ministry of Health of Ukraine Details: "Following the procurement procedure conducted on the Prozorro system, an agreement was signed for the overhaul of the modern medical and diagnostic building of the Okhmatdyt Research and Development Centre. The winner of the tender was Riola-Module Ltd, which offered the most cost-effective bid of nearly UAH 293 million [approx. US$7 million - ed.]," the statement said. [Prozorro system is a public electronic procurement system where state and municipal customers announce tenders to purchase goods for the opportunity to become a state supplier – ed.] The Ministry estimated the cost of procurement to be UAH 367.4 million (US$8.8 million), which would enable savings of over UAH 70 million (US$1.6 million). The contractor has experience in both the constructing and reconstructing of medical facilities and was previously responsible for the construction of a building for Okhmatdyt in 2020, the Ministry reports. An authorised hospital representative conducted a thorough review of the participant's documentation, with support from the international engineering company Eptisa Servicios de Ingeniería, which serves as the client's service provider, the Ministry states. The engineering company, Academ Bud, will undertake the technical supervision of the renovation, which will cost UAH 2 million (US$48,134). A further UAH 1.5 million (US$36,100) will be put towards the author's supervision, which will be conducted by the Engineering Company Arkon, which developed the project documentation prior to the overhaul. "Funding for the restoration and technical supervision will be provided by the Charitable Foundation Okhmatdyt, which collected a significant portion of donations from Ukrainians in 2024. These funds will be used to restore the hospital for its intended purpose," the Ministry of Health reports. The contractor has begun completing additional surveys and is taking necessary measurements at the site to ensure the prompt start of construction work, according to the report. Background: Okhmatdyt suffered damage from a Russian missile attack on 8 July 2024. Last autumn, Health Minister Viktor Liashko announced that construction work to restore the main building of the children's hospital was expected to begin in spring 2025. It was previously reported that Okhmatdyt's Research and Development Laboratory initiated procurement for the overhaul of the medical and diagnostic complex damaged by the missile attack. The lowest bid, UAH 293 million (US$7 million), was submitted by Riola-Module Ltd. Three participants competed for the procurement: Riola-Module Ltd, Ukrainian Production and Construction Alliance Centre, and PBF Consortium. It was also reported that funds used or contracted for rebuilding Okhmatdyt after the missile attack total UAH 36.2 million (US$872,000). The total funding allocated by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation for Okhmatdyt's restoration is approximately UAH 1.416 billion (US$34 million) and US$11.2 million. Of these, over UAH 337 million (US$8 million, including US$1 million from the Lithuanian government) was received directly by Okhmatdyt's account, and approximately UAH 379 million (US$9.1 million) was received by the Okhmatdyt Charitable Foundation. UAH 320 million was raised through a joint fundraising campaign led by United24 and Monobank, UAH 300 million (US$7.2 million) was allocated from the Ukrainian state budget, and UAH 80 million (US$1.9 million) to address the attack's consequences was collected by the Tabletochki Foundation. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!


Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Susie Hewson's Mission To Detoxify Feminine Hygiene
Natracare is transforming menstrual care by eliminating plastics and toxins—challenging industry ... More norms and reducing global microplastic pollution. As the climate and waste crises intensify, one of the most overlooked contributors to environmental degradation is also among the most personal: menstrual care. Every year, billions of pads and tampons—many laced with plastics and toxic chemicals—are discarded, leaving behind microplastics that persist for generations. According to the BBC, 49 billion single-use period products are used every year in Europe alone, and in the US, about 20 billion are discarded each year, generating 240,000 tonnes of solid waste. Globally, disposable sanitary pads—which can contain up to 90% plastic and largely end up in landfills—are the most commonly used menstrual product. Other researchshows that disposable pads are estimated to take 500 to 800 years to break down, and materials such as plastics never truly biodegrade in a landfill. This is of major concern given that each menstruator will use and dispose of between 5,000 and 15,000 pads and tampons in their lifetime. Despite this mounting evidence of the ecological and health dangers of conventional products, the feminine hygiene industry has been slow to reform, held back by entrenched norms and legacy corporate interests. Enter Susie Hewson, a pioneering voice who has been challenging this status quo for over three decades. After watching a documentary that revealed the environmental toll of chlorine bleaching in pulp production, Hewson, already engaged in environmental conservation, launched a personal campaign that gave rise to Natracare in 1989. At a time when conversations around the health and ecological impact of period products were nearly nonexistent, Hewson brought to the forefront the dangers of dioxins, synthetic fibers and microplastics. Natracare emerged as the world's first organic and plastic-free menstrual care brand. It was a deliberate, values-driven response to both ecological harm and the disregard for women's health in product design. The company's approach has long predated recent trends in ethical consumerism, with innovations like certified organic cotton tampons, biodegradable applicators and totally chlorine-free processes. Now, as a certified B Corp, Natracare continues to push the industry by proving that it is possible to scale a business rooted in environmental stewardship and human health. Hewson's journey, from reimagining her career in her mid-thirties to taking on global giants in the period products industry, highlights the role small but principled companies can play in correcting market failures—where the social and environmental costs of mainstream products are offloaded onto communities and ecosystems. In doing so, Natracare doesn't just provide a better product; it also offers a powerful case study in how to rebalance business incentives around true sustainability. Christopher Marquis: Susie, you restarted your career at 34. What triggered you to do that, and how did you come up with the idea behind Natracare? Susie Hewson, founder of Natracare Susie Hewson: There is a natural instinct I quickly rediscovered as a mother of two children under three with respect to reasonable concerns for the future of the world they would inherit. I had been involved in nature conservation, so it was easy for me to react to a documentary exposing how the pulping industry was polluting our water, air and soils with its carcinogenic byproducts of dioxins and furans generated by the commonly used chlorine bleaching processes. That triggered my personal campaign to raise awareness of the negative ecological and health impacts of the tampon and pad brands of the time that dominated global markets; it was the start of the journey out of which Natracare was born in 1989 in the UK. Driven out of respect for nature and serious concern for women's health, I set about informing and educating consumers—and hopefully also manufacturers—on the positive value of using only organic and plant-based materials in period products and changing to environmentally benign, totally chlorine-free processes. I also needed to highlight and challenge the common use of oil-based fibres and polyacrylates, both of which release damaging microplastics into nature. These raw materials were—and to a major extent still are—used in many brands of absorbent pads, tampons and wipes. Science has now consistently demonstrated just how permanently damaging their impacts continue to be in our oceans and soils as well as their contribution to air pollution. Certified organic cotton as a fibre of choice was important to me in order to make a point and show best practice as well as highlight the devastating impact on the environment and agricultural workers (mostly women) of the use of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in agriculture. Organic is superior in so many ways to synthetics and plastics, and organic has full consideration for the rights and well-being of growers and processors. I aggressively questioned the status quo through campaigning for safer processing and the use of organic and nature-derived raw materials, as well as raising the issues we women had with the use of synthetic fibers and plastics in tampons and disposable pads. As we entered the 1990s, my campaign gathered momentum and broad support in the USA and Canada as well, and that led to Natracare creating a challenger campaign and a whole new category of period products. Marquis: What is your background? What were you pursuing before Natracare came into being? Hewson: I graduated from art school in London as a graphic designer in 1975. I worked for various private and state companies over the years, then moved to Sweden in 1979 to study Swedish and weaving. There I did a lot of trekking and skiing, and I became an accomplished weaver. I went back to university in 1981 to complete a master's in education. I taught 11- to 18-year-olds in the UK for a few years, in art and design (and, when required, major sports). In 1985, I moved to Vancouver for love, swapped my cross-country skis for alpines, and used my other university qualifications to teach fitness and AquaFit. In 1986, carrying my first child, I returned to the UK and set up my own fitness franchise teaching all variations of fitness, including AquaFit. This was my introduction to writing a business plan and running a business. It was mid-1988 when my plans to create my own menstrual hygiene brand started to flow. Marquis: At the core of your business, you are all about revolutionizing period care. Could you elaborate more on how you are doing that? Hewson: First, there is knowledge, and then there is design for change. In the United States alone, approximately 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are discarded each year. While many of these products end up in a landfill, others clog sewers or contribute to the staggering amount of microplastics in our oceans. Natracare revolutionized period care by becoming the first 100% cotton tampon since the 1940s, the first certified organic 100% cotton tampons, as well as the first totally chlorine-free, certified compostable range of products—saying 'absolutely no' to the pernicious flow of microplastics into our oceans. Marquis: Becoming the world's first organic period care brand didn't come easy, so what were some challenges you faced while setting up your business and how did you overcome them? Hewson: Getting start-up capital was impossible then. Imagine asking a bank for a loan to stand up against the largest and most powerful brands in the feminine hygiene industry—and me a woman to boot. No one shared my courage or tenacity, and I definitely suspected there were a few ounces of chauvinism and prejudice behind those desks as well. I had to get a loan against the value of my house to get started. Over the years, as I have become well known in my sector—and as values have changed for the better, I hope—I am no longer asked whose personal secretary I am! Marquis: Natracare is now B-Corp certified. Can you describe the certification process and how it has influenced your company's practices and priorities? Hewson: On January 16, 2025, we announced that Natracare's parent company, Bodywise (UK) Ltd, had achieved B Corp certification, a designation that recognizes Natracare's commitment to social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability—principles the company has held since our inception in 1989. To become a B Corp, companies must meet rigorous standards measured across five key areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. Under the auspices of our parent company, Natracare's achievement in this comprehensive evaluation showcases our continuous dedication to making a positive impact. One of the key areas of impact for Natracare remains plastic education and reduction. According to our research, we've found that, on average, there are 36 grams of plastic in every pack of traditional period pads that enters the market. That's 2.4 grams of plastic per pad, and 2.5 grams for the outer package itself. This equates to the equivalent of five plastic carrier bags per pack of period care under the industry's traditional manufacturing practices. Under Natracare's plastic-free manufacturing parameters, in the past year alone, we have sold 5,444,330 packs of plastic-free period pads, resulting in an estimated 432,096 pounds of plastic saved. That's landing around the average weight of two blue whales, whose marine environment our campaigns seek to keep pristine. By producing certified industrially compostable products, Natracare is keeping crude oil out of our products and operations—and keeping crude oil plastics out of landfills or from being produced in the first place. Additionally, by using biodegradable cardboard applicators instead of plastic ones, we have prevented 11 million plastic applicators from being flushed or from entering landfills. Marquis: Growing your business along with some leading competing brands isn't easy. How are you balancing growth and expansion plans along with empowering your workforce to be a part of your long-term vision? Hewson: As a founding company that remains true to the principles defined in our Environmental and Ethical Policy—specifically in a marketplace drenched with greenwashing—Natracare has been steadfast in our commitment to truth and transparency, out of respect for the importance and values of our campaign objectives. We do not chase dollar gaps in the marketplace, but instead, we direct our focus to designing and producing products which address real health and ecological concerns. Our team members have been drawn to working for Natracare because they have seen that our company values reflect their values. We have a few of our staff who have been with us for more than 20 years, many upwards of eight years and a few knocking on 12 years. In addition to earning respect, empowerment is about the development of skills and opportunities. There may be more competing brands out there today as investor-led power-ups see their opportunities in this arena, but we are confident that our deep commitment to women's health, meaningful growth and nature-friendly solutions is the pinnacle we alone stand upon.


San Francisco Chronicle
5 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Palestinians say Israeli forces fired toward crowds near Gaza aid site, killing 3
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials and witnesses say Israeli forces fired toward crowds making their way to a food distribution point run by an Israeli and U.S.-supported group in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing three people and wounding scores. The Israeli military said it fired warning shots at people it referred to as suspects who it said had advanced toward its troops hundreds of meters (yards) from the aid site prior to its opening hours. Experts and humanitarian aid workers say Israel's blockade and 20-month military campaign have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine. Around 130 people have been killed in a number of shootings near aid sites run by the Israeli and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which are in military zones that are off-limits to independent media. The Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions at people who it says approached its forces in a suspicious manner. The foundation says there has been no violence in or around the distribution points themselves. But it has warned people to stay on designated access routes and it paused delivery last week while it held talks with the military on improving safety. 'People are killed just trying to get food' Two men and a child were killed and at least 130 were wounded on Tuesday, according to Nader Garghoun, a spokesperson for the al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties. He said most were being treated for gunshot wounds. Witnesses told The Associated Press that Israeli forces opened fire at around 2 a.m., several hundred meters (yards) from the aid site in central Gaza. Crowds of Palestinians seeking desperately needed food often head to the sites hours before dawn, hoping to beat the crowds. Mohammed Abu Hussein, a resident of the nearby built-up Bureij refugee camp, said Israeli drones and tanks opened fire, and that he saw five people wounded by gunshots. Abed Haniyah, another witness, said Israeli forces opened fire 'indiscriminately' as thousands of people were attempting to reach the food site. 'What happens every day is humiliation," he said. "Every day, people are killed just trying to get food for their children.' The U.N. has rejected the new aid system Israel and the United States say they set up the new food distribution system to prevent Hamas from stealing humanitarian aid and using it to finance militant activities. The United Nations, which runs a longstanding system capable of delivering aid to all parts of Gaza, says there is no evidence of any systematic diversion. U.N. agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to decide who receives aid and by forcing Palestinians to relocate to just three currently operational sites. The other two distribution sites are in the now mostly uninhabited southern city of Rafah, which Israel has transformed into a military zone. Israeli forces maintain an outer perimeter around all three hubs, and Palestinians must pass close to them to reach the distribution points. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken of creating a 'sterile zone' in Rafah free of Hamas and of moving the territory's entire population there. He has also said Israel will facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary emigration of much of Gaza's 2 million Palestinians to other countries — plans rejected by much of the international community, including the Palestinians, who view it as forcible expulsion. Hamas started the war with its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostage. They still hold 55 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead, but doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed more than 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. ___