Rafah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – A group of barbers in Rafah is offering free haircuts and shaves to Palestinians who have been forced to flee to the southern Gaza Strip. The hope is that keeping hair short, particularly among children, will help keep the displaced communities healthy and prevent the spread of disease in an area where UNICEF warns inhabitants are in “imminent danger” from epidemics. On 7 October Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians and taking 239 hostages, according to Israel. Since then Israeli bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip has killed more than 11,000 people, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
