The Unfolding Catastrophe in Gaza

We are watching in horror as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to dramatically deteriorate. Incessant and indiscriminate bombings by the Israeli military, combined with a strict blockade on food, water, housing, and medical supplies has left Palestinians in Gaza in a fight for survival, with tens of thousands of men, women and children already having been killed or wounded.

The Complete Breakdown of Healthcare

The systematic destruction of Gaza's medical system is particularly distressing. The Israeli army destroyed medical buildings, kidnapped and killed healthcare workers, and rendered all of the hospitals in Gaza unusable. Glia is responding to this crisis in two crucial ways: medical delegations and a field clinic.

Medical Delegations

In January 2024, Glia joined the World Health Organization to send medical delegations into Gaza. We continue to deploy physicians, nurses, midwives, and support staff, to assist in hospitals. Until the closure of the Rafah Crossing, our delegations brought in over $1 million worth of medications and supplies. After the Israeli army has taken over the Rafah border, the ability of delegations to bring in supplies has been significantly curtailed, so while we continue to bring in staff, we are now working with other NGOs to bring in supplies as well as procuring what can be purchased within Gaza.

Glia Field Clinic

In February 2024, Glia opened a field clinic in Zuwaida, which consults roughly 500 to 600 patients per week. We have hired local healthcare workers and logistical support to provide free primary health services to any Palestinian seeking care. The field clinic is a semi-permanent structure designed to be moved in the event of an evacuation order. In addition to offering primary care, we are introducing sexual reproductive health, children’s mental health programming, and a vaccine clinic to our site. 

But to do this, we need your support.

Glia is responding to a dynamic situation, and has demonstrated its agility in pivoting to needs as they evolve. We are prepared to dedicate as many hours as are needed to accomplishing these initiatives, but we require your help in order to maintain these projects. Your generous donation will allow us to continue to provide this life-saving support.

Glia's long history of supporting Gaza

As soon as war broke out in October 2023, Glia responded immediately to the limited availability of essential medical supplies, such as tourniquets. Our office in Gaza manufactured and distributed over 1500 tourniquets before our office was destroyed in a bombing. Our team in Gaza was unhurt, and they continue to work in varying capacities within the healthcare sector. Our Medical Director, Dr. Mohammad Al-Attar, worked in the Al Shifa Emergency Room until it was destroyed by the Israeli army and is now running a field hospital; our administrator, Hanan Abu Qassem, volunteered with ambulatory care, and is now overseeing the construction of mobile medical points.

Together with Islamic Relief Canada, Glia launched #PPE4Gaza in December 2019 to make and distribute personal protective equipment for healthcare workers in Gaza. Through the generosity of donors like you, we raised over $100,000, allowing us to respond almost immediately to the Ministry of Health’s need for PPE by 3D printing and distributing thousands of face shields. With the help of Medical Aid for Palestinians UK, we successfully shipped 3D printers and reusable respirators to Gaza so we could continue the work and increase local capacity.

In response to the bombardment of Gaza in 2021, Glia partnered with the International Development Relief Foundation to launch the Open Gaza Initiative, which will train and deploy engineers to refurbish and repair existing hospital medical equipment using cutting edge technology, such as 3D printing, local printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, and use of desktop-scale CNC machines.

Two members of Glia, Drs. Benjamin Thomson and Tarek Loubani were also involved in EmpowerGAZA, a project that placed solar panels and batteries on four major hospitals in Gaza, providing uninterrupted power.

Our record shows that Glia’s team is committed to the health of all of those in need around the world and in Gaza.

*Glia will do its best to use your donation for the primary objectives of this campaign, however given the volatility of the situation in Gaza, we may direct it to where it is needed most.