MSF stops operations at Gazas Nasser Hospital due to onsite security concerns

Medical Charity MSF Suspends Operations at Nasser Hospital in Gaza

Doctors Without Borders (MSF), a Geneva-based medical charity, has suspended non-essential work at its hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, due to concerns over security and management issues. The suspension was announced on January 20, following reports of “armed men posing serious security threats” inside the building.

According to MSF’s website, the charity has identified a pattern of unacceptable acts, including the presence of armed individuals, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and suspected movement of weapons. The organization stated that hospitals must remain neutral and free from military presence or activity to ensure safe and impartial medical care.

Under the suspension, MSF will continue providing critical services such as inpatient and surgical departments but will discontinue support for pediatric and maternity wards, including a neonatal intensive care unit. The charity expressed concern to relevant authorities and reported that its concerns were heightened by previous Israeli attacks on health facilities.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health has stated that the suspension will have a significant impact on patient care, with hundreds of patients admitted daily to maternity and burn wards. The ministry plans to take over maternity patient care. Gaza’s Ministry of Interior has vowed to prevent any armed presence inside hospitals and will take legal action against violators.

MSF’s announcement comes after Israel recently ordered the charity and other international organizations to stop their work in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank if they do not meet new rules, including sharing staff details. The organization had previously refused to submit a staff list to Israel due to concerns for its staff’s safety.

Source: Al Jazeera