Doctors in Gaza are alarmed by the spread of a rare nerve disorder that has left at least two children dead and others paralysed.
Health authorities have recorded dozens of cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome in recent months, compared to four or five a year before Israel‘s war in Gaza. The condition causes the immune system to attack its own nerves.
Medics say it often starts within a few weeks of an infection, such as flu or a stomach bug, and sometimes leads to paralysis lasting weeks or months. One Palestinian official warned that Israel’s blockade has left Gaza exposed to the spread of disease.
“The blockade and severe shortages of equipment have created a fertile environment for infectious diseases to spread unchecked,” said Ayman Abu Rahma, who oversees preventive medicine at Gaza’s health ministry.
“We have observed a concerning increase in the number of cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome among children. Medical tests in recent weeks revealed viruses contributing to its spread in Gaza,” he said.
Lack of treatment
For families, the illness is deeply personal and devastating. Kamal Abu Warda, the father of eight-year-old Youssef, spoke through tears about his son’s “very harsh and difficult condition”.
“His body is paralysed, his joints are weak, he struggles to breathe, and he cannot eat,” Mr Abu Warda said. He said no specialist treatment is available because of Israel’s border closures.
“We admitted him to intensive care two weeks ago, but without proper treatment or equipment, his suffering has only worsened,” he told The National.
“I try to reassure him, to tell him he will recover like other children, but inside I am broken. The hardest part is the helplessness, knowing I can do nothing for him except pray.”
For others, the fight to save their children has already been lost. Salah Qdeih’s 10-year-old son Medhat died after contracting Guillain-Barré syndrome.
“My son died before my eyes. I appealed for him to be taken abroad for treatment, but no one responded,” he said. “I lost him after many long days of watching him suffer, with no treatment available for this rare and dangerous disease in Gaza.
“Doctors told me they lacked the expertise and capacity to treat him. They put him on machines for several days, and then he passed away.
“I had wished for my son to live a normal life, that he would go to school, to university, get married, and that one day I would see his children, like any father in this world. But the occupation stole that joy from us.”
Rising illness
The health ministry has documented 64 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute flaccid paralysis – another condition caused by infections – in the past two months. At least three people have died, two of them children under 15.
Before the war, the nerve condition was a “rarely occurring disease”, said Munir Al Bursh, the health ministry’s director general. He said it often begins with weakness and tingling in the feet and legs, then spreads upwards to the arms and torso. In severe cases it can lead to total paralysis, he said.
The health system in Gaza is on the brink of collapse after Israel bombed hospitals and left others with extreme shortages of medicine, equipment and fuel – as they try to treat thousands of injured and chronically ill patients in wartime.
Israel’s border closures have also cut off access to life-saving treatments abroad, leaving children with rare and severe conditions without suitable care. Infectious diseases are spreading rapidly in overcrowded shelters and devastated neighbourhoods.
As well as Guillain-Barré syndrome, doctors have warned of rising cases of diarrhoea, jaundice and meningitis. The testimonies of doctors and parents in Gaza echo the same urgent plea: without immediate intervention, more children will suffer and die needlessly.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Zayed Sustainability PrizeKilling of Qassem SuleimaniKILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANIUPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Key facilities
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Mohammed bin Zayed MajlisPROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
The years Ramadan fell in MayLexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsCompany profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:The%20specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem SuleimaniTHE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 244Nm at 3,900rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Price: From Dh122,900
The five pillars of IslamWhat can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem SuleimaniTHE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Zayed Sustainability PrizeThe burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Red flags
Promises of high, fixed or ‘guaranteed’ returns.
Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions – this can make legal recovery difficult.
Hard-selling tactics – creating urgency, offering ‘exclusive’ deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANIHow to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee – a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
More on animal traffickingGlobal state-owned investor ranking by size
1.
United States
2.
China
3.
UAE
4.
Japan
5
Norway
6.
Canada
7.
Singapore
8.
Australia
9.
Saudi Arabia
10.
South Korea
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
The years Ramadan fell in MayGAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI