GENEVA: The World Health Organization called on Friday for access to patients in the Gaza strip and the possibility to be able to evacuate them for medical treatment as health workers struggle to care for the sick and wounded after 11 days of violence.
WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told a Geneva briefing that around 600 patients, including some with chronic conditions, needed to be referred outside of the Palestinian enclave since hostilities began earlier this month, but had been unable to due to crossing closures.
Dozens of health centers were damaged during Israeli bombings earlier this month, prompting the WHO to warn that facilities risked being overwhelmed.
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WHO calls for Gaza patient access, evacuations after violence
WHO calls for Gaza patient access, evacuations after violence
- WHO spokeswoman said around 600 patients, including some with chronic conditions, needed to be referred outside of the Palestinian enclave
One killed, 13 injured in Marib shopping mall fire
- Civil defense teams, supported by police forces, were able to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to other shops in the area
MARIB: One person was killed and 13 others were injured after a fire broke out at a shopping mall and neighboring shops on Aden Street in Marib Governorate, Yemen, on Sunday morning, local authorities said.
According to a security source cited by SABA News Agency, the blaze erupted after midnight, engulfing Ibn Al-Hajj Mall and adjacent commercial premises.
Civil defense teams, supported by police forces, were able to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to other shops in the area.
The source said the fire completely destroyed the Ibn al-Hajj Mall, including its second-floor warehouses, as well as a neighboring shoe store. A nearby furniture store sustained partial damage, but its contents were swiftly removed, helping to limit losses and stop the fire from spreading further.
All casualties were reported to have suffered from smoke inhalation, the source added.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire. Authorities urged merchants and residents to adhere to occupational safety procedures and preventive measures to protect lives and property.
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