Latest news with #suffocation
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Health
- Al Jazeera
Suffocation, stampede, death: Tragedy at Gaza's aid centre
Khan Younis, Gaza Strip – Eighteen-year-old Hani Hammad never imagined that his daily search for flour would end with him suffocating and being trampled. On Wednesday morning, he left his tent in the al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza's Khan Younis, where he's been displaced from Rafah along with his seven siblings, heading to a food distribution point run by the much-criticised, United States-backed GHF. 'We left at dawn and stood among the thousands gathered. About 5am [02:00 GMT], they [US staff and Israeli army] signalled to open the gate, and people rushed forward,' Hani told Al Jazeera. 'The gate was open, but people were packed into a very narrow corridor leading to it – only about seven metres wide,' he said, struggling to catch his breath after arriving at Nasser Hospital gasping and barely conscious. 'I got in with the crowd with difficulty. Suddenly, American guards started spraying pepper spray and firing gas bombs, and people began stampeding through the corridor,' he added. 'I collapsed. They trampled my face.' 'I felt like I was dying. I couldn't move forward or backwards. I collapsed. My face and side were trampled. No one could pull me out. But God gave me a second chance,' Hani said. He was rushed unconscious to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on a tuk-tuk and initially placed beside the bodies of others who had died, some from suffocation, others from bullet wounds. 'I was unconscious, couldn't see or hear. I drifted in and out. They put me beside the dead. I thought I was one of them.' Early Wednesday, 21 Palestinians were killed, including 15 by suffocation, while trying to collect food aid. The incident occurred near a gate managed by the GHF in western Khan Younis. Dozens more were reportedly injured, with some still in intensive care. Hani is the oldest of eight siblings who live next to their uncle's tent – their parents remain in Jordan, where they travelled for medical treatment just a month before the war began. 'I feel like I carry a huge burden. We've endured the pressures of displacement and war without our parents and without any help from them,' he said. Though he acknowledges that lining up for aid from the GHF is a major daily risk, he adds: 'Our intense hunger pushes me to go every day.' 'There's no other choice. I have no money to buy the overpriced goods available in the markets. My only option is to try my luck with aid distributions,' says the young man. 'Each time is a near-death experience. There's gunfire, tanks, drones and attacks. What kind of aid distribution is this? We are exhausted, truly exhausted.' 'We're shot at like animals' Mohammed Abedin, 24, now lies in a hospital bed with a leg wound after heading to the same aid centre in Khan Younis early Wednesday. For the first time, he says, he chose to turn back after sensing the danger of the crowd surge. The young man, a first-year accounting student, arrived about 3am (00:00 GMT) at the distribution site, but he noticed that things looked different. The same site had been closed for two days before reopening. 'Before, we used to enter from several access points, and the entryway was wide. But this time, we were funnelled through one long, narrow corridor, fenced in with metal,' he says. 'When the gates opened, everyone rushed forward, and people began falling underfoot.' Mohammed described a terrifying scene of people crushed against the metal barriers, screaming and gasping for help, as pepper spray and gas bombs were fired by American guards and quadcopters above. 'I was standing close to my cousin, watching. We decided not to go in because of the overwhelming numbers. I saw kids screaming, choking, men and youth trapped. No one could move forward or back.' 'The fenced corridor, with gas bombs raining down and people being pushed through, became a death trap,' he says. Mohammed and his cousin tried to leave, but just as he thought he had made a wise choice, a quadcoptor shot him in the leg. His cousin was also injured. 'There's always random gunfire from quadcaptors, tanks, or soldiers in the area. This time, I was the unlucky one,' he said. 'But thank God, I survived.' Mohammed reflects on the tragic situation faced by Palestinians, caught between starvation and death, forced to risk their lives for food. He supports his displaced family of nine, originally from Rafah and now sheltering in al-Mawasi. 'We dream daily of eating bread. I go for aid almost every day and usually return empty-handed. But the days I brought home just a few kilos of flour felt like 'an eid' [a celebration] for my family.' Flour is the top priority for Mohammed, especially with Gaza being under siege for four months, the borders sealed, and humanitarian and commercial goods blocked by Israel. 'Bread is what drives me to risk death. There's no alternative,' he said, awaiting surgery at Nasser Hospital to remove a bullet from his leg. 'Has the world failed to provide a safe channel for aid delivery?' 'There's no system, no organised relief, no police or UN intervention. We're shot at like animals. If we don't die of hunger, we die in the chaos and stampedes.' In late May 2025, the GHF launched its aid distribution efforts in Gaza following an Israeli-imposed near-total blockade, which is still in effect and has prevented the entry of humanitarian supplies. According to United Nations figures, at least 798 Palestinians have been killed since then while trying to reach or receive aid from the organisation's distribution points. Widespread criticism has emerged from UN agencies and rights organisations that argue the operation is politicised and endangers civilians. The UN has stated that the GHF's operations violate humanitarian neutrality and are inherently unsafe, highlighted by the hundreds of deaths at their sites. 'Either we return with flour, or we don't return at all' Ziad Masad Mansour, 43, displaced with his wife and six children from central Gaza to al-Mawasi in Khan Younis after their home was destroyed in the war, is another frequent visitor to the aid lines. 'I head there at 10 at night and sleep on the sand like thousands of others. We endure the dust and humiliation,' said Mansour, who was wounded in the head on Wednesday. 'Sometimes I manage to get flour, sometimes a few cans. Other times, I return empty-handed. I even help others carry their bags in exchange for some food.' 'Yesterday, there was horrific crowding: gas bombs, bullets, and we were packed tightly in the narrow corridor. I was trying to escape the crush when I got shot in the head and lost consciousness.' Mansour is now recovering at Nasser Hospital. 'More than 20 people died today – for a bag of flour. What more is there to say?'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Grandad ‘suffocated to death' on trolley in front of his wife and daughter in ‘chaotic' A&E corridor after 18-hour wait
GRAHAM Millward "suffocated to death" on a trolley in an A&E corridor in front of his wife and daughter. The grandad had been deprived of oxygen at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital following an 18-hour wait outside in an ambulance receiving area. 2 2 "My father did not deserve this," Paula Millward, 60, said. "He was deprived of a dignified passing and I was forced to watch him take his final breaths." An inquest heard the 87-year-old had been admitted to the hospital on January 9 this year after paramedics were called to his nursing home in Wellington, Shropshire. But on arrival at the hospital, there was no room on a ward, so Graham was forced to wait in the ambulance receiving area for a shocking 18 hours. Paula, from Telford said when he was finally taken to A&E, there was still no cubicle ready and staff failed to attach his oxygen properly, leaving him "gasping for air." The retired welder never made it onto a ward for further treatment and died on a hospital trolley inside the busy A&E department. Paula said she was then forced to watch her dad's final gasps for air after bungling hospital staff failed to reattach his oxygen. She said the distress the event has caused is "unforgivable." "He had been poorly and he had been in and out of hospital, but we fully expected him to be coming home and the hospital report confirmed he should have," she explained. "He spent an hour on the ambulance on arrival before being taken to the ambulance receiving area, which is basically a glorified porter cabin. "He was given oxygen, but when he was finally moved 18 hours later, they didn't attach the pipe properly and he still had the face mask on, so it restricted his breathing more. Boy, 6, 'kills premature newborn baby after dropping infant on floor like a doll when left to roam maternity unit' "He should have been taken to resus, but instead he was taken to a cubicle, which was already occupied. "So instead he was in a corridor surrounded by chaos in a busy A&E department, with no dignity at all. "I said to a nurse 'Is my dad OK?' and she took one look at him and said they needed to get screens around him straight away. "We basically had to watch him gasping for air before he suffocated to death in front of us. She added: "My sister and his granddaughter who live away were robbed of the time to get to him. "He was a lovely family man and very popular. So many people turned out for his funeral but the way he was treated was unforgivable." Shropshire Coroner's Court heard Graham's death was "more likely than not" sped up by a lack of oxygen therapy. How oxygen therapy works and why it's critical Oxygen therapy is a medical treatment that provides extra oxygen to patients who have difficulty breathing or low blood oxygen levels. It helps ensure vital organs like the brain and heart receive enough oxygen to function properly. Oxygen is usually delivered through masks or nasal tubes connected to oxygen tanks or hospital pipelines. Proper fitting and continuous delivery are essential because even brief interruptions or poor attachment can leave patients gasping for air. For people with conditions like pneumonia, chronic lung disease, or severe infections, oxygen therapy can be life-saving. Delays or failures in providing oxygen increase the risk of serious complications and can hasten death, making it a critical part of hospital care. Source: NHS and British Thoracic Society The grandfather-of-one had been "in and out" of Princess Royal Hospital and had a number of medical conditions, including pneumonia. But his death was "hastened" due to the failure to provide oxygen, meaning they were "robbed" of the chance to say their goodbyes. 'Hastened his passing' A statement from a doctor at the hospital was read to the coroner's court. He said there was a failure to deliver oxygen therapy when it should have been given, and that it was "more likely than not" the error would have caused Graham's "distress" and "hastened his passing". John Ellery, senior coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, recorded a narrative conclusion that Graham's death was of natural causes, hastened with additional distress. Dr John Jones, medical director at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust, said: "We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of Graham and apologise for the care he received. "We are committed to providing the best possible care and we are taking action to address the findings of a full internal investigation, including a review of the staff training for the transfer of patients receiving bottled oxygen.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Iraq shopping mall fire kills more than 60
Officials said many people suffocated in bathrooms, while one person told AFP that his five relatives died in an elevator. The blaze -- the latest in a country where safety regulations are frequently neglected -- broke out late Wednesday, reportedly starting on the first floor before rapidly engulfing the five-storey Corniche Hypermarket Mall. The cause was not immediately known, but one survivor told AFP an air conditioner had exploded. Several people told AFP they lost families including mothers and children who had gone to shop and dine at the mall, days after it opened in Kut -- around 160 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad. Footage shared on social media showed people including children standing on the roof, calling for help. Ali Kadhim, 51, has been shuttling between the mall and the main hospital, where the victims were taken, looking for his cousin, who is missing with his wife and three children. Back at the mall, he waited anxiously as rescuers searched for victims in the wreckage, with an ambulance on standby. "We don't know what happened to them," he said. An AFP correspondent at the scene said the blaze had been contained and the front of the building was severely charred. The interior ministry said in a statement that "the tragic fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens, most of whom suffocated in bathrooms, and among them 14 charred bodies yet to be identified." 'We couldn't escape' INA news agency later quoted a medical source who put the toll at 63 dead and 40 injured. Wasit province governor Mohammed al-Miyahi told the official INA news agency the victims included men, women and children. A medical source in Kut told AFP there were "many unidentified bodies". Civil defence teams rescued more than 45 people who were trapped inside the building, which includes a restaurant and a supermarket, the interior ministry said. Ambulances ferried casualties as late as 4:00 am, with wards in Kut overwhelmed. An AFP correspondent reported seeing distraught relatives waiting at the forensic department for news, some collapsing in grief. One man fell apart, pounding his chest and screaming. Nasir al-Quraishi, a doctor in his 50s, said he lost five family members in the fire. "A disaster has befallen us," he told AFP. "We went to the mall to have some food, eat dinner and escape power cuts at home. "An air conditioner exploded on the second floor and then the fire erupted -- and we couldn't escape." Lax safety regulations Moataz Karim, 45, hurried to the mall at midnight, only to be met with the devastating news that three of his relatives were missing. Hours later, he identified two relatives despite their charred bodies, one of whom had only begun working at the shopping centre three days ago. "There is no fire extinguishing system," he said in anger, as he waited further news outside the forensic department. Safety standards in Iraq's construction sector are often disregarded, and the country, whose infrastructure is in disrepair after decades of conflict, is often the scene of fatal fires and accidents. Fires increase during the blistering summer as temperatures approach 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). In September 2023, a fire killed at least 100 people when it ripped through a crowded Iraqi wedding hall, sparking a panicked stampede for the exits. In July 2021, a fire in the Covid unit of a hospital in southern Iraq killed more than 60 people. Governor Miyahi declared three days of mourning in Wasit province and said local authorities would file a lawsuit against the mall's owner and the building contractor. "The tragedy is a major shock... and requires a serious review of all safety measures," he said. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered a "thorough probe" into the fire to identify "shortcomings" and prevent further incidents. Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Shiite Islam's highest authority in Iraq, offered condolences to the victims' families.
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
6-month-old boy dies of suspected suffocation at Melaka childcare centre
A source said inspections of the baby's body found no elements of foul play, and that the hospital lodged a police report soon after. PETALING JAYA : A six-month-old baby boy died at a childcare centre in Padang Temu, Melaka, yesterday evening, believed to be due to suffocation. Utusan Malaysia reported that the caregiver, who had been rotating duties with another staff member, discovered the boy lying face-down with a blue face. 'The nursery rushed the baby to the Ujong Pasir clinic where a medical team gave CPR for 30 minutes before sending the baby to Melaka Hospital in an ambulance. 'As soon as they reached the hospital's red zone, the baby was given CPR aid again, but was soon confirmed as dead,' the portal quoted a source as saying. The source said inspections of the baby's body found no elements of foul play, and that the hospital lodged a police report soon after. Melaka Tengah police chief Christopher Patit confirmed the report and said it is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for negligence involving the care of a child. Kosmo later reported that on the same day, another three-year-old girl at the centre suffered an injury to her left ear from a blow by a caregiver. The child's mother, Nurul Shafiqa Dawood, said she picked up her daughter Faiqah Dalila Faris Danial at 5.30pm, and that the child complained of pain in her left ear. 'She cried all night due to the pain. I brought her to the clinic at 11pm and the doctor confirmed that her left ear was injured and swollen. We then went to Melaka Hospital and lodged a police report,' she told reporters today.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Swaddled six-month-old baby reportedly dies at Melaka childcare centre, suspected suffocation
MELAKA, July 17 — A six-month-old baby boy reportedly died at a childcare centre in Padang Temu yesterday, believed to have suffocated after being found face down on a mattress while swaddled. According to Utusan Malaysia, the incident allegedly took place around 5pm, when a caregiver checked on the baby about an hour after putting him to sleep and found him unresponsive with a bluish face. Citing an anonymous source, the report stated that the baby was rushed to Klinik Utama Ujong Pasir, where medical staff performed CPR for 30 minutes before referring him to Hospital Melaka. The baby received further emergency treatment at the hospital's red zone but was later confirmed dead. A police report was lodged, and there were reportedly no signs of criminal elements found on the body. The case is reportedly being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
