Israel expels "Doctors Without Borders" from the Gaza Strip. Medics refused to hand over names of their staff to security forces, fearing reprisals against personnel
The conflict between Israeli authorities and the world's largest humanitarian mission has concluded with a harsh decision: the organization "Doctors Without Borders" (MSF) must completely cease its operations in the Gaza Strip by the end of February. Israel banned the medics from working in the region after they refused to comply with the demand of security forces — to hand over passport data of all their employees, including local Palestinian personnel.
The work of "Doctors Without Borders" in war-torn Gaza Strip. Photo: Médecins sans frontières
The Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs insists that this is a standard "security and transparency" procedure, aimed at identifying humanitarian workers' links to terrorist groups. However, for the doctors, such a demand became a "red line," writes The Insider.
Representatives of the organization explained that after months of negotiations, Israel failed to provide any security guarantees for the individuals on these lists. In a situation where medics in Gaza constantly face intimidation, arbitrary detentions, and death, handing over personal data to the military department appears to be a direct threat to the lives of personnel.
The position of "Doctors Without Borders" is based on alarming statistics: since October 2023, 1700 medical workers have already died in the region, among whom 15 were employees of the organization itself.
The Insider, citing Israeli sources, quotes Minister Amichai Chikli, who accused the medics of coordinating with Hamas and deliberately hiding terrorists among their staff. But the humanitarians themselves believe that these accusations are an attempt to destroy independent oversight of what is happening in hospitals.
The consequences of this decision for the civilian population will be catastrophic. "Doctors Without Borders" has been working in the region since 1988 and during this time has become a true foundation of local medicine. In the past year alone, the organization provided one-fifth of all hospital beds in Gaza and the West Bank, and its doctors attended every third birth. In total, the medics conducted about 800,000 consultations over the year.
Who will perform this work after the organization leaves in March remains unknown.
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Это вражда тысячелетняя. Америка его покрывает, здесь без вариантов, палестинцам надо по предложению президента Трампа перебираться на новые земли.