Eventbrite takes down appeal for maternal care hospital in Gaza

Eventbrite removed a planned fundraiser from their platform that aimed to raise funds for a maternal care hospital in Gaza and medical equipment, an activist has said.

Nerdeen Kiswani, a Palestinian-American activist and co-founder of the Palestinian-led organisation Within Our Lifetime, revealed on X that the company had cancelled the event.

The event was for Doctors Against Genocide, a global coalition of healthcare workers committed to stopping genocide.

"We planned a fundraiser for Doctors against genocide to provide support to a maternal care hospital in Gaza + an ambulance and more medical equipment to the West Bank, and @eventbrite took it down due to 'risk of harm or inciting violence'," Kiswani wrote on X.

"We can't even send medical support….," she added.

The activist shared a letter from the company stating that the event was not permissible as it went against its community guidelines and terms of service, "specifically that it could contribute to a risk of harm or incite violence". The letter added that further violations "may result in the suspension or termination" of their account with the company.

The "Palestine Fundraiser" event collaborates with Doctors Against Genocide, Within Our Lifetime and Healthcare Workers. Its goal is to raise money for the Al-Awda Maternity Hospital and vulnerable rural villages, including Kusra, Umm El Khair, and Masafar Yatta.

The event comes at a time when Israel's war has shattered Gaza's healthcare system and other civilian infrastructure.

Only 14 of Gaza's 36 hospitals are functional, only partially, facing critical shortages, according to the Gaza Health Ministry This has forced pregnant women to deliver babies in overcrowded and unclean shelters without medical support.

Since 7 October, pregnant women in Gaza are now three times more likely to miscarry, and if they carry their baby to term, they are now three times more likely to die in childbirth, according to CARE.

The World Health Organisation documented 480 attacks on the West Bank's healthcare since 7 October, affecting 54 health facilities, 20 mobile clinics, and 319 ambulances.

This includes attacks on health infrastructure ambulances, detaining healthcare workers and patients, use of force on workers, obstructing access to health facilities and militarised searches of ambulances and staff.

The New Arab reached out to Eventbrite for comment.