Gaza's Nasser Hospital condemns MSF decision to suspend most services

One of Gaza ‘s last functioning large hospitals condemned the decision by Doctors Without Borders to pull out of operations over concerns about armed men, claiming on Sunday that the facility had installed civilian police for security.

The rare public friction between two well-known health care providers in Gaza came as the Palestinian death toll since the current ceasefire surpassed 600. At least 11 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the last 24 hours, hospitals said.

Doctors Without Borders, also known by its acronym MSF, said in a statement Saturday that all its noncritical medical operations at Nasser Hospital were suspended due to security breaches that posed “serious” threats to its teams and patients. MSF said there had been an increase in patients and staff seeing armed men in parts of the compound since the U.S.-brokered October ceasefire was reached.

Nasser Hospital said Sunday the increase in armed men was due to a civilian police presence aimed at protecting patients and staff and said MSF’s “allegations are factually incorrect, irresponsible and pose a serious risk to a protected civilian medical facility.”

Hundreds of patients and war-wounded have been treated daily at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, and the facility was a hub for Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange for Israeli hostages as part of the current ceasefire deal.

MSF said its teams had reported “a pattern of unacceptable acts including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons.” The suspension occurred in January but was only recently announced.

Nasser Hospital staff say that in recent months it has been repeatedly attacked by masked, armed men and militias, which is why the presence of an armed civilian police force is crucial.

Hamas remains the dominant force in areas of Gaza not under Israeli control, including the area where Nasser Hospital is located. But other armed groups have mushroomed as a result of the war, including groups backed by Israel’s army in the Israeli-controlled part of the strip.

Israel’s military said it had intelligence that Nasser Hospital is being used as a headquarters and military post for senior Hamas officials, without providing evidence. It called MSF’s move “an important decision, but one that comes too late.”

Throughout the war, which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, including Nasser, accusing the militant group of operating in or around them. Hamas security men often have been seen inside hospitals, blocking access to some areas.

Some hostages released from Gaza have said they spent time during captivity in a hospital, including Nasser Hospital.

At least 11 Palestinians were killed Sunday by Israeli fire in Gaza, hospital authorities said.

The dead include five men in their 20s who were killed in the eastern part of Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies. The strike hit a group of people close to the Yellow Line that separates Israeli-controlled areas from the rest of Gaza, it said.

Rami Shaqra said his son, al-Baraa, was among the militants securing the area from potential attacks by Israeli forces or Israeli-backed armed groups when they were hit. He said they were killed by an airstrike.

“They were in the area they say is safe,” Shaqra said.

Associated Press footage from the morgue showed at least two of the men had headbands denoting membership in the Qassam Brigades, the militant arm of Hamas.

In northern Gaza, a drone strike hit a group of people in the Falluja area of Jabaliya refugee camp, killing five people, according to Shifa Hospital. A separate drone strike killed a man in Gaza City, according to the hospital.

Israel’s military said it had carried out multiple strikes in response to several ceasefire violations near the Yellow Line, including militants attempting to hide in debris and others who attempted to cross the line while armed.

The US-brokered ceasefire deal that took effect Oct. 10 attempted to halt more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.

Associated Press