Major Gaza hospital partially repaired from war destruction

Work is underway to rehabilitate several departments of the largest hospital in Gaza, Al-Shifa Hospital, to meet the urgent need to provide medical services in the Gaza Strip after the severe damage to medical facilities during the Hamas-Israeli conflict.

Efforts are being made to make limited repairs for some departments of the Al-Shifa Hospital. However, difficulties in obtaining construction materials due to border closures and Israeli restrictions on border entry points into Gaza are slowing down the process.

"This hospital was attacked by (soldiers). Many buildings were partially damaged. After they withdrew from the region, we started rehabilitation and rebuild what we (could) in order to give the services as possible as we can," said Dr. Saeed, the hospital's medical director.

Not far from the Al-Shifa Hospital, the rehabilitation of the 'Friends of the Patient' clinic complex in Gaza City has also begun. The Israeli military stormed and burned it, causing it to be out of service and depriving residents of receiving health services.

The children's department of the hospital is one of the most vital units which thousands of children depend on to receive medical services, especially in light of the miserable conditions that residents are living in.

"My child's health condition was very difficult and we almost lost him. This children's department of the Patient's Friends Hospital was a lifeline for us. My son was suffering from malnutrition and he received the necessary treatment here in the hospital. His health condition is better now," said Rozan Khalaf, a Palestinian mother.

In March, the Israeli army carried out a 14-day military operation against the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries, hundreds of arrests, and widespread destruction of the hospital and adjacent residential areas.

Although the restoration process for some medical facilities is very limited, it represents a glimmer of hope for the Palestinians to launch a full rebuilding process for the Gaza Strip if a comprehensive ceasefire is achieved between Hamas and Israel.

Major Gaza hospital partially repaired from war destruction

Major Gaza hospital partially repaired from war destruction

E-commerce is helping farmers in the Aksu Prefecture in the landlocked region of Xinjiang in northwest China to overcome geographical obstacles and sell their produce to consumers across the country.

As the westernmost region of China bordering Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Xinjiang is thousands of kilometers away from the eastern markets, a despairing distance for local fruit farmers.

"Our apples [used to] make it to domestic markets through traditional ways. The problem is that they have to be picked before they're ripe because of the long transport time," said Zhou Hu, owner of Aksu Qiguo E-commerce.

Zhou runs a company that sells fruits purchased from local farmers to online consumers in live-streaming shows.

"Previously, it might take five to seven days for the apples to arrive. Now with e-commerce, it takes two to three days," Zhou said.

As the business thrives, Zhou has helped raise the income of local farmers.

"We offer farmers 20 percent more of the total price than traditional buyers. That has a direct impact on farmers," Zhou said.

Seizing the opportunity brought about by e-commerce development, Rizwan Guli Erkin opened a store named Ga Beng Cui Dry Fruit Store on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, to help her parents sell paper shell walnuts.

"The walnuts are grown by my parents. They only know how to grow them but don't know how to sell. So after college I've helped them with sales," she said.

Another one who has spotted this opportunity and returned home to build local businesses is Zheng Haozhe, CEO of the Future Village, an accommodation business in Onsu County of Aksu.

"I went to the U.S. when I was 14. I started from the ninth grade in high school. The U.S. has given me a very good education, but now, I feel very grateful to come back to my country and keep building my country, especially in a border area in the western area where things are not very developed," Zheng said.

E-commerce helps Xinjiang farmers reach markets across China