Doctors Without Borders Suspends Gaza City Operations Amid Encirclement and Israeli Offensive

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has suspended all medical operations in Gaza City due to escalating attacks by Israeli forces, including airstrikes and advancing tanks encircling its clinics, which created an unacceptable level of risk for staff. The organization cited the rapidly deteriorating security situation and the inability to safely continue providing care, despite the enormous medical needs of vulnerable populations such as infants, trauma victims, and critically ill patients who are unable to evacuate. MSF emphasized that hundreds of thousands of people remain trapped in Gaza City amid the ongoing Israeli offensive and evacuation orders, facing dire humanitarian conditions worsening with the destruction of healthcare infrastructure and limited access to essential services. Although MSF has withdrawn from Gaza City, it continues to support other medical facilities in southern Gaza, including Al-Helou and Al-Shifa hospitals, as long as they remain functional. The organization's decision to suspend services highlights the severe disregard for international laws protecting healthcare in conflict zones and underscores the catastrophic impact on the civilian population. MSF's withdrawal marks a significant setback in humanitarian aid as the conflict intensifies and access to medical care becomes increasingly restricted.