Musaab is 21 years old and in his third year of study at university in Nablus, in the north of the West Bank. In the summer of 2022, Musaab was diagnosed with a cancer called a synovial sarcoma in his left ankle. To confirm his diagnosis and to guide the best approach to his treatment, he was referred to Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem for...

10 January 2023 – Khetam, a mother of 2, has only brought one of her daughters to the primary health centre, though both are sick and in need of medical attention.  Her younger daughter has a very high fever and weakness. Khetam has had to prioritize her treatment today.  Khetam and her daughter at the Jabaliya Health Centre, Gaza Strip “If I brought...

13 November 2022 – Dr Naseem reached home after a long shift at the hospital, ready to rest and recharge. He had been looking forward to spending time with his children but found it hard to shake off his worries and disengage his mind. The air felt heavy. The news about growing tensions in Gaza Strip seemed impossible to escape. WhatsApp groups...

Gaza, 8 November 2022 – Gaza’s first emergency operation centre (EOC), established by WHO under the leadership of the Gaza Ministry of Health, was inaugurated today. The inauguration was attended by Dr Yousef Abu-Al Rish, Gaza’s Deputy Minister of Health and Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, along with health...

2 November 2022 – In Gaza Strip, swift and timely funding from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies is helping WHO close critical gaps in needs and enhance emergency response by building up on previous efforts to bolster preparedness. Recently, 2 sizable shipments of medicines and medical supplies were provided to the Ministry of Health to...

Jerusalem, 21 October 2022 - WHO in the occupied Palestinian territory, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, conducted two workshops on 11 and 19 October on findings of an assessment of barriers to accessing noncommunicable disease (NCD) services during the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on the specific impact on rural and semi-rural...

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the country signed a US$ 25 million cooperation agreement in support of Al Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem. This came as part of the United Arab Emirates’ efforts to support the medical and health care sectors in the occupied...

Amal, a 38-year-old woman from Gaza, was found to have a brain aneurysm (the potentially life-threatening ballooning of a blood vessel) in March 2022. On 5 June 2022, Amal was referred to An-Najah University Hospital in Nablus, in the West Bank, for brain catheterization and scan (angiography), a procedure not available in the Gaza Strip. She...

26 September 2022 – It is playtime for Ahmad and his grandson as they enjoy playing football at a pitch in the Gaza Strip. They come here regularly for football and exercise. But just a few years ago, Ahmad’s life looked very different. Hospital visits instead of football with his grandson occupied most of his time. In September 2019, Ahmad...

Aseel stands at the door of her office to welcome patients as they walk in. The entrance to her office is a colorful display of paints and art supplies, which she often uses to put her younger patients at ease.7 September 2022 - Aseel stands at the door with a warm and reassuring smile as patients nervously enter her office. “Anyone who’s coming to...