Doctors Without Borders retires from Gaza City. The humanitarian organization (MSF) has announced the suspension of its activities in the Palestinian capital, the main city of the Strip, before the rapid deterioration of the security situation in the context of the current Israeli offensive. “The increasing attacks of Israeli forces have generated an unacceptable level of risk for our staff, forcing us to suspend vital medical activities,” said a statement from the organization.
MSF’s emergency coordinator in Gaza, Jacob GrangerHe has assured that the clinics of the organization “are surrounded by Israeli forces”, at a time when the most vulnerable patients, including babies in neonatal care, cannot move and are in serious danger. “We have no choice but to stop the activities, since our clinics are surrounded by Israeli forces. This is the last thing we wanted, since the needs in Gaza City are huge, and the most vulnerable people,” he added.
MSF has stressed that although many people have fled south by Israeli orders of evacuation, there are still hundreds of thousands in Gaza City, who have no choice but to remain in that area of hostilities. Despite the suspension of its activities, the organization has expressed its intention to continue supporting other key centers such as Helou and Shifa hospitals “While continuing to work.”
As the organization’s statement says, hospitals that partially work in the strip are overwhelmed due to the serious staff scarcity, supplies and fuel. Patients suffer huge difficulties in receiving care, often are late and in critical condition. Only last week, and despite the intensification of the offensive, our clinics in Ciudad de Gaza made more than 3,640 consultations and treated 1,655 patients suffering from malnutrition. “People are exhausted and they are deliberately deprived of the essential to survive.”
Finally, the note establishes the places where MSF provides services. In southern Gaza, teams continue to pay medical attention. In Jan YunisMSF provides support to the Nasser hospital and manages three primary care centers. In the central zone, MSF provides support to the Emergency Department and the Hospital Wound Care Clinic Al-Aqsaand manages two campaign hospitals in Deir Al-Balah.
