Glia Gaza's Response to Israeli Attacks

Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since early October have led to unprecedented loss of life and destruction. Our Glia Gaza team responded immediately to the urgent need for high quality medical devices that could help save lives from continued attacks. They quickly manufactured and distributed nearly 1,000 tourniquets to first responders and hospitals before our office was destroyed in a bombing in October, 2023 . Since then, our team has been actively involved in volunteering with first responders and working in the emergency unit at Al Shifa hospital, until it was surrounded by Israeli forces in November, and staff were forced to evacuate. 

We've launched this fundraiser to serve two purposes: firstly, to raise funds for our staff so that they can immediately begin rebuilding their lives once the war on Gaza ends. Our goal is to raise $30,000 USD ($10,000 USD for each staff member). Should tragedy strike and one of our team members is killed, the money will go directly to their families. Secondly, any money raised above our initial goal will go towards rebuilding and repairing our Glia Gaza office, which has been in operation in Gaza since 2016. We will need to purchase and import solar panels, 3D printing supplies, building and office materials, and hire any additional staff required for the rebuild. 

Meet Our Team

“I studied medicine - and then Emergency Medicine - because I believe in the value of life. I became Gaza's first locally-trained emergency physician and have since worked on building Gaza's prehospital program for years. I now work in the main emergency services programs, ensuring that doctors and other health care workers are trained and able to respond to whatever disaster may come. Our home, like those of so many others, was destroyed in this war. I spent the first month and a half in Shifa Hospital, caring for my patients as conditions rapidly deteriorated until we were finally forced to leave. I saw firsthand how impactful Glia's work was and am looking forward to engaging with hospitals and ambulance services to ensure we are better prepared in the future.”

"I love the laugh of my son Omar - it is the thing I love most in this life. My name is Hanan Abu Qassem, I am 35 years old. I graduated from the university with three different degrees, a Bachelor's in English Literature, a Diploma in General Education, and a Diploma in First Aid and Emergency. I loved the third one very much and volunteered in the Palestinian Red Crescent for many years. I love helping others. This is why I volunteered to save the lives of many injured people in many conflicts and repeated attacks in Gaza. I have been working with Glia since 2020 and my role is the administrative director in the office. Glia has added a lot to my personal and professional life. I now have many friends and colleagues in Glia’s office outside Gaza. I love working with Glia because I believe in equality in life, especially in care. And here was the beginning. I hope that the pain of this war will end soon and that equality in care will be restored for everyone in the whole world, not just Gaza.I hope that the war will end soon and that we will return again to providing equal care for all."

"My name is Badr Al-Aydi. I am 28 years old, married, and have a daughter named Aisel. I love her very much, and the thing I love most is seeing her play with the toys that I bought or made for her. This makes me feel very happy. I am a graduate of mechatronics engineering in Gaza. I finished my studies and then took many educational courses in various fields, the most important of which are computers and some programming. I have been working at Glia Gaza office since 2021. My role at Glia is a mechatronics engineer and 3D printing specialist. I loved this field, I mean 3D printing. I loved it more and more after working with Glia. Glia developed many of my practical and professional skills. I loved and still love working with Glia. I hope that this war will end and that we will return and rebuild what was destroyed and return to work again."

Glia's Work in Gaza

Glia's objective is to ensue equal access to quality healthcare, and it meets that objective by designing and manufacturing high-quality, open source medical devices using low-cost technologies, such as 3D printing. Glia's devices, which include stethoscopes, tourniquets, otoscopes, and soon, pulse oximeters, are clinically validated in Canada and made in Gaza using locally sourced materials. 

In 2016, Gaza’s Ministry of Health emergency medicine providers, led by Dr. Mohammed Al-Attar, determined that there was a significant need for improved hemorrhage control beyond what “first-aid” style tourniquets could provide, which are traditionally comprised of a belt or a sheet/stick combination. The Glia Gaza team designed, developed, tested, and deployed the Glia Tourniquet, which, unlike standard CAT tourniquets, was designed for use on both adult and pediatric patients. It can be self-applied one-handed or applied externally by a trained medical responder onto a patient’s limb. In 2018, the Glia Tourniquet was deployed as an emergency use device in response to excessive traumatic injuries during the Great March of Return caused by gunshot wounds. Of 5,969 people who were shot, 86.9% of injuries were in the arms or legs. Two people died of their injuries, a remarkably low 0.03% fatality rate, compared to typical fatality rates of approximately 10% for limb injuries. Since then, Glia Gaza has collaborated in countless hours of research and development with Gaza’s four paramedic services, hospitals, and ministries to refine the design, including field testing on trauma patients under live fire.

It has also taken the lead in public outreach, by launching “Stop the Bleed: Gaza”, a workshop designed to train first responders, health care workers, and the general public in life-saving techniques, including the application of tourniquets.

The team also perform educational outreach with local schools to teach Gazan youth about the potentials of local manufacturing using 3D printers.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Glia Gaza responded to the Ministry of Health's urgent need for personal protective equipment by manufacturing and distributing thousands of face shields for healthcare workers throughout the Gaza Strip.

Donate generously today

Glia has been an important part of the response in the current war on Gaza. We will continue to ensure that all patients in Gaza receive the best care possible, even in the terrible current conditions. Your donation will help Glia's members rebuild their lives and Glia to rebuild our office. Donate generously to support our members and our work.