Doctors Without Borders reduces operations at Gaza hospital over security concerns

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), commonly known as Doctors Without Borders, suspended noncritical medical operations at Gaza's Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, citing security concerns.

MSF said it made the decision, as of Jan. 20, due to concerns about the management of the hospital and what it described as a pattern of unacceptable incidents within the compound. 

The suspension had not been widely reported at the time, and it was not immediately clear when the decision was first publicly posted.

MSF's frequently asked questions page, where the update appears, shows it was last revised on Feb. 11.

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In recent months, the international medical humanitarian aid group said staff and patients have reported the presence of armed and sometimes masked men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and the suspected movement of weapons on hospital grounds.

"While none of these incidents occurred in parts of the hospital compound where MSF works, they pose serious security threats to our teams and patients," MSF wrote on its website.

"MSF formally expressed its strong concern to relevant authorities and emphasized the incompatibility of such violations with our medical mission. Hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces, free from military presence or activity, to ensure the safe and impartial delivery of medical care," the group continued. "MSF calls on all armed groups, Hamas, and Israeli forces to respect medical facilities and ensure the protection of civilians."

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In a statement issued Saturday, Nasser Hospital rejected what it called "false, unsubstantiated, and misleading allegations" by MSF regarding the presence of weapons or armed groups inside the facility.

"These allegations are factually incorrect, irresponsible, and pose a serious risk to a protected civilian medical facility. The Gaza Strip is under an extreme and prolonged state of emergency resulting from systematic attacks on civilian institutions," it said. "Under these conditions, isolated unlawful actions by uncontrolled individuals and groups have occurred across society, including attempts by some to carry weapons."

Hospital officials said a civilian police presence had been arranged to help safeguard patients, staff and infrastructure and called on MSF to retract its claims and reaffirm its commitment to medical neutrality.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday on X that it has intelligence indicating Hamas is using Nasser Hospital as a headquarters and military post, reiterating long-standing allegations that the militant group embeds operations within civilian facilities in Gaza.

"For over two years, the IDF and the defense establishment has warned about the cynical use by terrorist organizations in Gaza of hospitals and humanitarian shelters as human shields to conceal terrorist activity," it wrote.  

Hamas has previously denied using hospitals or other civilian facilities for military purposes.