Medical Crisis Deepens as Aid Organization Forced to Evacuate
Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) has announced the immediate suspension of all medical operations in Gaza City, citing rapidly deteriorating security conditions as Israeli forces advance within one kilometer of their medical facilities. The organization's staff is being evacuated from the area, leaving thousands of vulnerable patients without critical medical care.
Immediate Threat to Humanitarian Workers
The decision comes as Israeli military operations intensify in northern Gaza, with heavy bombardment reported throughout Gaza City. 'This is the last thing we want, given the enormous need for medical assistance in Gaza City,' the organization stated in an official declaration. 'The increasingly heavy attacks by Israeli troops pose an unacceptable risk to our staff.'
According to Palestinian news agency Wafa, approximately sixty Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since this morning, with most casualties occurring in Gaza City. The suspension affects clinics that treated 3,640 patients last week alone, including 1,655 people suffering from malnutrition.
Critical Medical Services Disrupted
The organization's clinics provided essential care for severe injuries, burns, pregnant women, and patients requiring continuous medical attention who cannot leave the city. Doctors Without Borders emphasized they will continue limited support for Al Shifa and Al Helou hospitals in Gaza City, which are operated by the Hamas-affiliated Health Ministry.
The humanitarian situation in northern Gaza continues to deteriorate following the closure of the Zikim border crossing on September 12. The World Food Programme reported that half of their aid shipments previously entered through this route, and food distribution has become increasingly challenging. Several community kitchens in and around Gaza City have closed as a result.
Broader Humanitarian Crisis
The Gaza Strip faces what the United Nations describes as a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with famine conditions affecting the entire population. According to recent IPC projections, 100% of Gaza's population experiences high levels of acute food insecurity, with 32% facing catastrophic conditions. Access to clean water, food, shelter, and medical assistance continues to diminish daily.
Doctors Without Borders maintains operations in other parts of Gaza, including clinics in Khan Younis and Deir-al-Balah, but the suspension in Gaza City represents a significant blow to humanitarian efforts in the region's most densely populated area.