Pro-Palestinian blogger was released by the Egyptian security forces last Friday (27 March). We reported on the case at the time of his detention seven weeks ago - here Egyptian police have released a pro-Palestinian student and blogger who had been arrested outside his home early last month, a human rights group said on Saturday. Diaeddin Gad was released Friday morning after spending almost seven weeks in jail, said Gamal Eid, executive director for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI). Eid accused police of beating Gad in detention. AFP
Until now, the besieged Gaza Strip has stayed free of the novel coronavirus spreading across the world. As the Gaza Strip has been under a stringent Israeli-led blockade for nearly 13 years, the spread of the coronavirus - officially known as COVID-19 - has become the topic of discussion for many Palestinians, with some joking that the blockade was preventing them from being exposed.But as authorities in the coastal Palestinian enclave gear up to contain any potential outbreak, serious questions have arisen about the risks and implications of such a scenario. But given its already difficult humanitarian situation and high population density, an outbreak in the Gaza Strip could prove to be catastrophic, health officials have warned. "If the virus enters Gaza and spreads, it will get out of hand," Gaza Ministry of Health spokesperson Majdi Thuhair told Middle East Eye, as he explained that a severe shortage of resources and personnel would make it near impossible