In the ongoing genocide against Muslims in Gaza, Palestine, a hospital in the city has been subjected to dangerous attacks, causing severe damage. Israeli forces launched devastating missiles at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in northern Gaza City. Gaza health officials said the Israeli missile attacks caused significant damage to the emergency room building and reception area of the hospital. Upon receiving indirect information that Israeli forces were planning to attack the hospital, efforts were made to relocate patients to other areas. It is unclear if there were any casualties from the Israeli attacks.

The Al-Ahli Hospital that was attacked by Israel was home to hundreds of displaced refugees in addition to patients. Videos have been released showing many people who were living there trying to find safety before the Israeli attacks began. Hamas, which governs Gaza, has described the deliberate attack on Al-Ahli Hospital as a heinous crime. This is not the first time Israeli forces have launched terrorist attacks targeting Gaza’s hospitals. The Gaza government media office said Israeli forces have previously bombed and severely damaged 35 hospitals across different parts of Gaza.

This includes Al-Ahli as well. In October 2023, Israeli forces launched dangerous attacks on the hospital, killing over 100 people at once and injuring many others. This is a crime against international law aimed at depriving those injured in Israeli terrorist attacks of medical care. Israeli forces began committing inhumane crimes against Gaza’s Muslims on October 7, 2023. The number of martyrs in that aggression has risen to 61,700, while over 114,000 people have been injured. Gaza’s civilian homes and infrastructure have also been destroyed and razed to the ground.

Although a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel that went into effect on January 19 suspended attacks, Israeli forces violated the agreement and resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18. The Gaza Ministry of Health revealed that the number of martyrs in the terrorist attacks since then has risen to over 1,500. The majority of them are innocent women, innocent children, and the elderly with weakened physical strength.

Minister at the Presidential Palace Iqbal Adam has stated that the stories being spread about expenses made for the President’s use from the Muliaage budget are contrary to the truth. The Minister in charge of overseeing all matters of the Presidential Palace said this in response to a news report circulated by Channel-13 on the 11th of this month, claiming an expense was made for the President’s use from the Muliaage budget.

Channel-13 had reported that large expenses were being made from the Muleeage budget for the President’s affairs, citing a receipt circulating on social media for items purchased to take to Aarah for the President to see dogs during this weekend. Speaking to PSM News regarding this matter, the Minister in charge of overseeing the Presidential Palace affairs, Iqbal Adam, has denied the news spread by Channel-13. Minister Iqbal said that the expenses from the Muleeage budget will be many times lower compared to the expenses made by various former presidents for meals and similar matters from the official budget in the past, and the expenses made by the current President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu since taking oath. The Minister noted that President Dr. Muizzu always advises to manage affairs in a way that minimizes all such expenses. The Minister also noted that Muleeage expenses are managed based on this principle.

“I also manage affairs according to his advice. So we won’t make any expense unless it’s absolutely necessary. Especially at a time like this when the country’s economic situation is at this point, and while the President is taking steps to reduce expenses, spreading such slanderous false news greatly misleads the public about the reality of these matters and creates discord among the people,” said Minister at the Presidential Palace Iqbal Adam. Minister Iqbal Adam said that spreading such baseless news is very irresponsible and he strongly condemns this act.

Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Khaleel has participated in consultative meetings to strengthen relations between Turkey, Hungary, and the Maldives. These meetings were held as part of the ongoing Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey. The Diplomacy Forum in Turkey is being held from the 11th to the 13th of this month. As part of this forum, the Foreign Minister has been participating in meetings to strengthen relations.

Minister Dr. Khaleel first met with Turkey’s Minister of Trade, Professor Dr. Omar Bolat. During this meeting, they discussed further strengthening trade and economic relations between the two countries. The Foreign Minister then met with the country’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. In this meeting as well, both officials discussed working together and creating more opportunities in the tourism sector.

In addition, the Foreign Minister has met with Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó. During this meeting, both officials assured that they would maintain and strengthen the long-standing relationship between Hungary and the Maldives in the coming days.

As part of his trip to Turkey, the Foreign Minister participated in a high-level panel discussion titled “Geostrategic Dynamics in the Asia Pacific,” organized in collaboration with Japan’s Sassakawa Peace Foundation.”awa Peace Foundation.

Minister of Health Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim has said that the issue of medicine shortages is being resolved with the measures being taken. The Minister said this at a press conference on the work of the Ministry of Health. The current government is working to address issues related to the price and quality of prescription drugs sold in the Maldives to an extent that no previous government has prioritized. The government is also working to strengthen the operations of STO, which imports the most medicines to the Maldives.

Health Minister Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim said that while there have been complaints about some difficulties in obtaining medicines with the changes being introduced by the government, the government is working hard to resolve this. The Minister also noted that the results of the ongoing work are now becoming visible. The Minister said that they are closely monitoring public complaints and identifying the necessary steps to address them, and work is also being done on this.

“Through this government’s efforts, we will provide significant relief to the concerns about medicines. We can see this happening as things progress as planned. Important steps we have taken include strengthening STO’s system to increase the supply of medicines,” said Minister Nazim.

Health Minister Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim said that in addition to strengthening STO’s system to increase the supply of medicines and improving governance to enhance medicine-related matters, work is also underway to develop SOPs to increase and further skill the staff handling medicine-related work. He added that special emphasis is being placed on revising the Aasandha portal used for prescription issuance, further developing treatment guidelines, strengthening MFDA’s systemDA’s system, and providing additional training for STO pharmacists.

It has been noted through the government’s work on reforming Aasandha that the prices of prescription drugs imported and sold in the Maldivian market have been marked up between 200% to 2000% so far. It was also noted that an expensive system system was established to provide medicines to the public through Aasandha. To address and streamline this, work has now begun to import quality medicines to the Maldives through bulk procurement. The government’s current goal is to ensure that all essential medicines are available in pharmacies by the end of May this year, according to the Ministry of Health.