A Gaza-bound aid convoy arrived in the Egyptian city of Arish, North Sinai on Sunday. North Sinai Governorate official, Gaber al-Araby, who also heads the Egyptian Red Crescent in the governorate, said preparations are underway to allow the convoy, called "Miles of Smiles 4", to transfer its cargo to the strip. He told reporters that the convoy had arrived at Cairo International Airport before moving to Arish by land. The convoy includes 35 activists from Spain, the UK and Bahrain, carrying nearly three tons of medicines and other relief supplies. More
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