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Doctors Without Borders Suspends Operations at Key Gaza Hospital Amid Security Concerns
Doctors Without Borders has suspended several medical services at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital following reports of armed, masked men roaming the facility. The international aid organization, also known as MSF, cited “serious” security threats to staff and patients as the reason for scaling back operations at one of Gaza’s few remaining functional hospitals.
The suspension, which took effect in January but was only recently disclosed, affects non-critical services including pediatric and maternity wards, the neonatal intensive care unit, and outpatient consultations for burn treatment and mental health services. MSF will continue supporting critical departments, including inpatient care and surgical services for trauma and burn victims.
“MSF teams have 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 organization stated. While MSF did not specify the armed individuals’ affiliations, it emphasized that hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis has played a crucial role during the ongoing conflict, treating hundreds of war-wounded patients daily. The facility also served as a hub for prisoner exchanges under the current U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The impact of this partial suspension could be significant for Gaza’s already crippled healthcare system. Zaher al-Waheidi, head of records at Gaza’s Health Ministry, warned that hundreds of maternity and burn patients seek care at the hospital daily. While the ministry plans to take over maternity services, options for burn victims will be severely limited.
Throughout the two-year conflict, Israel has repeatedly targeted hospitals, including Nasser, accusing Hamas of operating within medical facilities. International law provides special protection to hospitals during wartime, but they can lose immunity if used by combatants to hide fighters or store weapons. Even then, advance warning must be given to evacuate staff and patients before any military action.
Hamas remains the dominant force in areas not under Israeli control, including around Nasser Hospital. However, hospital staff report that in recent months, the facility has been repeatedly attacked by various masked, armed groups and militias despite police presence. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry has pledged to deploy officers to secure hospitals and remove armed individuals, implementing stricter measures to ensure patient safety.
The situation at Nasser Hospital reflects the broader challenges facing aid organizations in Gaza. Israel recently banned MSF and more than three dozen other groups from operating in the territory for allegedly failing to comply with new registration requirements. MSF has warned this decision will have catastrophic consequences for its operations in Gaza, where it provides funding and international staff for six hospitals, operates two field hospitals, and runs eight primary health centers and clinics.
Despite the current ceasefire, violence continues in Gaza. Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes and fired on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing 591 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, according to Gaza health officials. The overall Palestinian death toll from the war stands at over 72,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which maintains detailed casualty records considered generally reliable by UN agencies.
The conflict has devastated Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, with most hospitals forced to close and others heavily damaged. Throughout the war, Israeli forces have raided multiple hospitals, detaining hundreds of medical staff. For organizations like MSF that remain operational, the security situation presents an increasingly difficult balancing act between providing critical care and ensuring staff safety.
As the fragile ceasefire continues, the situation at Nasser Hospital underscores the challenges of delivering healthcare in a conflict zone where the lines between civilian and military spaces have been repeatedly blurred, leaving vulnerable patients caught in the middle of a complex and dangerous situation.
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8 Comments
Hospitals are supposed to be sanctuaries, not battlegrounds. The armed presence at Nasser Hospital is a worrying development that undermines the ability to provide critical care. I hope the situation can be stabilized so the hospital can return to its core mission of healing.
It’s disappointing to see a key hospital in Gaza forced to scale back operations due to security concerns. Maintaining access to essential medical services is so important, especially in conflict-affected areas. I hope a resolution can be found to allow the hospital to safely resume full operations.
The armed presence at Nasser Hospital is extremely troubling. Medical facilities need to remain neutral spaces focused on healing, not caught up in conflicts or security issues. I hope a swift resolution can be found to allow the hospital to safely resume full operations.
This is a deeply troubling situation. Hospitals should be sanctuaries of care, not places where staff and patients face threats from armed groups. I hope MSF and local authorities can work to resolve the security issues at Nasser Hospital so it can fully resume providing vital medical services.
This is a concerning situation. Hospitals should be safe, neutral spaces for providing critical medical care, not areas for armed groups to operate. I hope MSF and local authorities can resolve the security issues so the hospital can fully resume its vital services.
The presence of armed men in a hospital is very troubling. Medical facilities need to remain neutral zones focused on patient care, not caught up in security threats. I’m glad MSF is taking action to protect their staff and patients.
This incident highlights the fragile state of healthcare infrastructure in Gaza. Patients and medical staff deserve to feel safe and secure when accessing or delivering vital services. I hope MSF and local authorities can find a way to resolve the security issues at Nasser Hospital.
This is a deeply concerning development. Hospitals should be sanctuaries of care, not places where staff and patients feel threatened by armed groups. I hope MSF and local authorities can find a way to restore security and allow Nasser Hospital to fully resume its vital work.