Catherine Smallwood

"This truck has been rejected four times... It's carrying ICU beds coming from the W.H.O." Amal Emam, Executive Director of the Egyptian Red Crescent, shows @BeckyCNN a warehouse full of medical supplies at the Rafah border crossing that Israel has turned back.

1/2 I think the UK message to the Syrian authority should not be limited to humanitarian issues, but also put politics at its heart. The violence is a symptom of a much deeper political crisis. At its core is al-Sharaa’s refusal to build an inclusive system of governance.

Al-Ahli hospital in #Gaza is out of service following this morning’s evacuation order and attack - @WHO has received an update from the hospital’s director. A child died due to disruption of care. The emergency room, laboratory, emergency room X-ray machines and the pharmacy were destroyed. The hospital was forced to move 50 patients to other hospitals. 40 critical patients couldn't be moved. The hospital is unable to receive new patients pending repairs. Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law. Attacks on health care must stop. Once again we repeat: patients, health workers and hospitals must be protected. The aid blockade must be lifted. Ceasefire.

.@WHO reached northern #Gaza despite extremely challenging conditions and rapidly shrinking humanitarian access. An international orthopedic emergency medical team was deployed to Al-Ahli Hospital, with support from WHO, to address the surge in trauma cases. The hospital is once again overwhelmed. Following an airstrike on a school in Gaza City, Al-Ahli reportedly received over 180 injured and 52 deceased in just one night, pushing its emergency unit to eight times its capacity. With only three operating theatres, the hospital cannot meet the current surgical demand. Of the 160 available blood units, 50 were used in a single day, leaving stocks critically low. The hospital’s CT scanner — the only one in northern Gaza — has broken down due to sustained overuse under the heavy patient load. To ease pressure on Al-Ahli, WHO is supporting the improvement of trauma care pathways to enable patient transfers to Al-Shifa Hospital. WHO will also deliver essential supplies from its dwindling stocks to help replenish the hospital. Without the immediate lifting of the aid blockade and a ceasefire, these efforts risk falling short, as the violence intensifies and health facilities struggle to remain operational.

Yesterday’s strike on Nasser Medical Complex severely damaged the surgical ward, killed two people, and injured eight. Nasser is south #Gaza’s largest referral hospital. 35 in-patient beds were destroyed, further straining the health system which is already overwhelmed by injuries due to renewed violence. @WHO repeats: health care is #NotATarget, should be protected, and must not be militarised. We call for the release of all hostages and for the resumption of the ceasefire.

The Lemkin Institute is issuing an urgent Red Flag Alert for Syria due to critical risk of genocide against Syrians from the Alawite sect, particularly in Syria’s Coastal region. The Lemkin Institute firmly condemns the massacres launched by the new governmental forces and other militant fractions. Neither the argument for “security” nor the targeting of “regime remnants” can be used as justification for mass slaughter of an entire community. The Lemkin Institute calls upon all international powers and the government of Syria to ensure the safety and protection of the Alawite community and other ethnic and religious minorities in Syria as well as swiftly carry out an impartial fact-finding investigation to ensure that perpetrators of high crimes are held accountable for the mass killings. We further appeal to the people of Syria to stand united in solidarity and demand justice for their compatriots. Finally, the Lemkin Institute urges global religious institutions to condemn the sectarian massacres and reject violent extremism. In this holy time of the year for all the Abrahamic religions, statements of solidarity are especially important for peace and reconciliation. To read the full statement, please visit our website. Link: bit.ly/41YI7I6

This is one of the darkest days of my life as I witness ongoing #massacres in #Syria for the third consecutive day. The violence began when ex-regime loyalists ambushed security forces, resulting in heavy casualties. The situation quickly escalated, leading to widespread killings on both sides. Various armed groups and individuals, not all affiliated with the new state, have moved toward the coastal region—home to many Alawites—where horrifying massacres are taking place, particularly in and around Baniyas and Jableh. Entire families are being slaughtered in their homes, including some who opposed the Assad regime. Civilians need urgent protection. Those responsible for these atrocities—both ex-regime criminals and those perpetrating massacres now—must be held accountable and brought to justice

Humanitarian aid is not negotiable. In Gaza, it must flow without impediment. The response needs to be adequately funded & civilians — including humanitarians — must be protected. We have proven that, with access, the @UN-coordinated response can deliver the aid that people need.

#Polio vaccination in #Gaza has started. @WHO teams are on the ground providing support to ensure a quality campaign.

A mass #polio vaccination campaign is planned to start in #Gaza this Saturday, 22 February, aiming to cover more than 591,000 children under 10 years old. This campaign follows the recent detection of poliovirus in wastewater samples, signaling circulation in the environment, which is putting children at risk.    @WHO, @UNICEF, and partners welcome the recent ceasefire, which is enabling us to conduct the campaign. We continue to urge for a lasting ceasefire that leads to long-term peace.

100? There are over 12000 in need of medical evacuation. European countries could and should do much more.

Serious escalation being seen in the West Bank since the beginning of the year

South Sudan has declared an outbreak of #mpox after the virus was confirmed on 6 February 2025. The Ministry of Health, @WHO and partners are enhancing control measures, including treatment, contact tracing, testing and infection prevention to curb the spread of the disease. afro.who.int/countries/sout…

Since 1 February, @WHO has supported the medical evacuation of 178 patients—115 of them children—from #Gaza via the Rafah crossing to receive specialized care in #Egypt. A total of 233 companions traveled with the patients. Approximately 12,000–14,000 people still require medical evacuation. We continue to urge for scaled-up approvals via all possible routes, including the restoration of medical referrals to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Between 12,000 and 14,000 critical patients need to be medically evacuated from #Gaza. @WHO and partners have now evacuated 37 patients and 39 companions out of Gaza via Rafah to continue receiving care in Egypt. Such evacuations have to be expedited through all possible routes.

In the Jenin refugee camp, life is marked by destruction and uncertainty. Home to 25,000 Palestinian refugees, the camp faces repeated raids. With EU funding, @UNRWA provides vital support: healthcare, schools and cash assistance for those who lost their homes.

The first group of patients in today’s medical evacuations have just crossed out of #Gaza via Rafah to #Egypt where they will continue receiving care.

Sudan Ebola virus disease is typically characterized by 𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫. Other symptoms may include: 🔷 Fatigue 🔷 Abdominal pain 🔷 Sore throat 🔷 Myalgia (muscle pain) 🔷 Nausea & vomiting 🔷 Diarrhoea 🔷 Rash Severe illness may include: 🔺 Hemorrhagic manifestations (e.g., bleeding from puncture sites) 🔺 Shock/hypotension 🔺 Multi-organ failure 🔺 Encephalopathy (brain dysfunction) 🔺 Spontaneous abortion in infected pregnant women Learn more: bit.ly/40XdRgg

Over 376,000 people have made their way to northern #Gaza since 27 Jan. Among those on the move are pregnant women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, the chronically ill, those in need of urgent medical care, and unaccompanied children. To support this massive movement, thanks to @eu_echo, @WHO has supplied fuel, tents, and equipment, enabling the @PalestineRCS to establish two trauma stabilization points on Al-Rashid road. These points ensure doctors and paramedics can provide essential health care for medical emergencies during the return. WHO remains on the ground, scaling up its response to address the growing health needs as more people arrive in northern Gaza.