Palestinians fears of Israeli suspend of MSF services in Gaza escalate
GAZA, Jan. 18 (YPA) – Concerns are escalating among Palestinians and staff of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the Gaza Strip that its services will cease due to Israeli measures threatening its presence on the ground, at a time when the health system is still suffering from near-total paralysis and severe shortages across all sectors.
Thousands of patients and wounded individuals receive specialized medical care through MSF teams, which have established their headquarters at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. They live in heightened anxiety due to the lack of alternatives should the organization stop providing its services.
In a statement issued on Sunday, MSF said that Israel has suspended its registration under its new rules for operating in Gaza and the West Bank, without specifying a timeframe.
In a statement published on social media platforms, the international organization added that the Israeli authorities “when they suspended our registration, claimed that if MSF were to leave Gaza, the impact of its departure would be limited. This is absolutely untrue.”
For his part, Mohammed Abu Jasser, supervisor of the MSF burns unit, says that they treat patients suffering from fractures and multiple injuries, as well as patients with deep burns.
“As a humanitarian medical organization, we treat patients, and a large segment of the population depends on us because there are no other alternatives, especially in our field of work at Nasser Medical Complex,” he added.
Abu Jasser explained that if Israel prevents the organization from working in Gaza, this will have a significant negative impact, especially regarding “the entry of medical supplies and delegations.”
In addition, Doctors Without Borders also warned that the health system in Gaza has reached the brink of collapse due to the war, while the urgent need for valuable medical care services is growing.
Amid this reality, the health system in Gaza is suffering from near-total paralysis due to shortages of fuel, medical equipment, and medicines, in addition to restrictions imposed on the entry of medical aid.