Israel will let foreign countries drop aid into Gaza, Israel army radio says
FILE PHOTO: Parcels of humanitarian aid await transfer into Gaza, at the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the Gaza Strip, July 24, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
DUBAI - Israel will allow foreign countries to parachute aid into Gaza starting on Friday, Israeli army radio quoted a military official as saying.
An Israeli military spokesperson did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment on the report.
The Gaza health ministry says more than 100 people have died from starvation in the Palestinian enclave since Israel cut off supplies to the territory in March.
Israel, which has been at war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza since October 2023, lifted that blockade in May but has restrictions in place that it says are needed to prevent aid from being diverted to militant groups.
In the first two weeks of July, the U.N. children's agency UNICEF treated 5,000 children facing acute malnutrition in Gaza.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday Gaza was suffering man-made mass starvation caused by a blockade on aid into the enclave. REUTERS

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Forum: MOH supports healthcare providers in safeguarding patient databases
Find out what's new on ST website and app. We refer to Dr Yik Keng Yeong's letter ' Doctors may need help preventing cyber attacks on patient databases ' (July 22). Cyber security is a shared responsibility. Government systems such as the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) are designed with robust cyber and data security measures in place to protect Singaporeans' health information. These include technical safeguards such as firewalls, security tools to detect and mitigate attacks, and ongoing monitoring and investigation of suspicious activities. In turn, systems connected to the NEHR are also required to have appropriate security measures in place. We understand the concern that GPs may have, and have ensured that white-listed clinic management systems meet the requisite cyber-security standards. Healthcare providers play an important role in ensuring that they have robust arrangements in place as to how their clinic management systems or electronic medical record systems are managed and used. They should put in place good practices, such as using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, be vigilant against phishing attempts, use anti-malware and anti-virus solutions, and keep computers/systems updated with security patches. The Ministry of Health supports healthcare providers through funding, and training and educational materials on cyber and data security practices. There are also the Cyber and Data Security Guidelines and Guidebook which help healthcare providers understand and meet the essential security requirements. The Ministry of Health is also exploring ways to work with cyber and data security providers to support healthcare providers in strengthening their security posture. We strongly encourage all healthcare providers to familiarise themselves with essential cyber and data security practices. Raymond Chua (Adjunct Professor) Deputy Director-General of Health (Health Regulation) Ministry of Health

Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
What to know about 2 new Alzheimer's disease drugs approved in Singapore
Find out what's new on ST website and app. One factor that could stand in the way of wider acceptance of these drugs is their costliness. SINGAPORE – Tackling Alzheimer's disease in Singapore received a boost earlier in 2025, when the authorities approved two new drugs for the neurodegenerative disease. Although these drugs – lecanemab and donanemab – cannot cure or reverse the effects of Alzheimer's, they have been shown to slow the progression of the disease, which accounts for almost 70 per cent of dementia cases worldwide. Simply Science looks at what these drugs do, how effective they are, as well as the risks and costs. How do they work? The two new drugs are monoclonal antibodies, which are lab-produced proteins that mimic natural antibodies. They work by targeting and removing beta-amyloids – molecules that accumulate in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of the brain – causing Alzheimer's disease. Lecanemab, which is marketed as Leqembi, is developed by pharmaceutical firms Eisai, Biogen and BioArctic. Donanemab, marketed as Lormalzi in Singapore and Kisunla in other countries, is developed by Eli Lilly. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole Asia Singapore-only car washes will get business licences revoked, says Johor govt World Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel opens aid routes Sport Arsenal beat Newcastle in five-goal thriller to bring Singapore Festival of Football to a close Singapore Benchmark barrier: Six of her homeschooled kids had to retake the PSLE Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021 Both are intravenous injections – lecanemab is administered every two weeks over about 1½ years, and donanemab is administered every four weeks over the same period. How effective are they? During clinical trials, both drugs demonstrated the ability to slow Alzheimer's disease. Findings from the clinical trial of lecanemab, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that it slowed decline for people with early Alzheimer's disease by about 27 per cent to 37 per cent. Meanwhile, results from donanemab's Phase 3 clinical trial, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that the drug slowed cognitive decline by about 20 per cent to 29 per cent. Eisai medical director Amitabh Dash said lecanemab differs from existing drugs, which treat symptoms and manage memory or behavioural issues only temporarily. 'It works by clearing these protofibrils and amyloid plaques, which are believed to contribute to the progression of the disease,' said Dr Dash. Protofibrils refer to protein aggregrates such as beta-amyloids. Lecanemab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023, and by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in Britain in 2024. Donanemab received FDA approval in 2024, and was also approved in Britain that year. In Singapore, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) confirmed that the two drugs had been approved for use earlier in 2025. 'They are prescription-only medicines, and the treatment should be initiated by a physician experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease,' HSA told The Straits Times. What are the side effects? For both drugs, the common side effects include infusion-related reactions such as fever, body aches and joint pains. However, the drugs have also been known to cause amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, known as Aria, a condition that can cause brain swelling or bleeding. In many cases, the condition is asymptomatic. But in more severe cases, it can cause seizures, or even death in rare instances. 'MRI monitoring is recommended during treatment to manage this risk safely,' said Dr Dash, referring to magnetic resonance imaging. What has been the response in Singapore to the drugs? Doctors in Singapore who have prescribed lecanemab described their experience as largely positive. Dr Lee Kim En, a neurologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, prescribed the drug to 27 patients, who had symptoms such as memory loss affecting their daily lives and difficulty in performing familiar tasks, including handling personal and financial matters. Most patients had shown a favourable response to the treatment, with a slowing in disease progression and preservation of cognition. 'Only one patient experienced mild confusion, disorientation for several hours after his first treatment,' Dr Lee added. He described lecanemab as a 'breakthrough treatment' for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. 'Without intervention, the time course of deterioration may take four to eight years, requiring full-time care and assistance for all aspects of daily living,' he said. Associate Professor Adeline Ng, a senior consultant at the National Neuroscience Institute's neurology department, had prescribed lecanemab to two women below the age of 65 who were diagnosed with mild Alzheimer's and had gradual mild cognitive decline. While on treatment, they were able to be more engaged with their families and maintain their ability to look after their daily needs, Prof Ng said, noting that neither had side effects. She intends to continue prescribing lecanemab, describing the treatment as 'the start of an era of new drug treatments' that could potentially modify the disease course for patients. Prof Ng stressed that such drugs are effective only in the early stages of Alzheimer's and are not a cure. Rather, they delay progression to the next stage of the disease by about six to eight months. 'The drug is also not suitable for some patients, such as those who have had previous strokes or who take certain blood thinning medication, due to the increased risk of bleeding in the brain,' she added. What are the costs? One factor that could stand in the way of wider acceptance of these drugs is their costliness. In the United States, lecanemab treatment is priced at US$26,500 (S$33,900) per year, while donanemab costs about US$32,000 annually. Britain's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has declined to recommend both drugs for routine use under the publicly funded National Health Service, due to the high costs of purchasing and administering the drugs, and a lack of evidence on their long-term effects. In Singapore, the prices of the two drugs are not publicly available. However, the Ministry of Health said it is evaluating the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the two drugs to decide whether to subsidise them in the future. Dr Dash said such drugs represent a paradigm shift in the approach to Alzheimer's, noting that early diagnosis and treatment will become increasingly important due to the ageing populations in Singapore and across the region. 'The availability of Leqembi may drive healthcare systems to adopt biomarker-based diagnosis, improve infrastructure for safe infusion and monitoring, and offer patients more hope for slowing disease progression rather than only managing symptoms,' he said. Simply Science is a series that looks at the science behind everyday questions.

Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
WHO says malnutrition reaching 'alarming levels' in Gaza
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is now acutely malnourished. GENEVA - Malnutrition rates are reaching 'alarming levels' in the Gaza Strip, the World Health Organization warned Sunday, saying the 'deliberate blocking' of aid was entirely preventable and had cost many lives. 'Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip, marked by a spike in deaths in July,' the WHO said in a statement. Of the 74 recorded malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 had occurred in July – including 24 children under five, one child aged over five, and 38 adults, it added. 'Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting,' the UN health agency said. 'The crisis remains entirely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives.' Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is now acutely malnourished, the WHO said, citing its Nutrition Cluster partners. It said the percentage of children aged six to 59 months suffering from acute malnutrition had tripled in the city since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Palestinian territory. In Khan Yunis and middle Gaza, those rates have doubled in less than a month, it added. 'These figures are likely an underestimation due to the severe access and security constraints preventing many families from reaching health facilities,' the WHO said. Israel on Sunday began a limited 'tactical pause' in military operations to allow the UN and aid agencies to tackle a deepening hunger crisis. But the WHO called for sustained efforts to 'flood' the Gaza Strip with diverse, nutritious food, and for the expedited delivery of therapeutic supplies for children and vulnerable groups, plus essential medicines and supplies. 'This flow must remain consistent and unhindered to support recovery and prevent further deterioration', the Geneva-based agency said. AFP