DaysofPal – Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières – MSF) has warned that thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip could lose access to basic medical care following Israel’s decision to suspend the organization’s operations, alongside 25 other international humanitarian groups, starting from the beginning of the new year.
Israeli authorities claimed on Tuesday that the suspended organizations failed to comply with newly imposed registration rules requiring detailed information about staff, funding sources, and activities.
They specifically accused Doctors Without Borders of failing to clarify the roles of certain employees, alleging, without providing evidence, that some may have links to armed groups.
Doctors Without Borders is one of the largest medical aid providers operating in Gaza, delivering healthcare services to nearly half a million people. In addition to medical treatment, the organization supplies water and other life-saving assistance.
MSF warned that halting its work would trigger a humanitarian catastrophe, especially amid the near-total collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system after prolonged Israeli bombardment.
In a statement, the organization said, “The humanitarian response in Gaza is already severely constrained and cannot withstand further dismantling. Preventing independent and experienced organizations from operating will be catastrophic for Palestinians.”
MSF further cautioned that if its permits are withdrawn during 2026, large segments of Gaza’s population would be deprived of medical care, clean water, and essential services.
Pascal Coissard, MSF’s emergency coordinator in Gaza, noted that the organization’s teams treated hundreds of thousands of patients over the past year. In 2025 alone, MSF conducted nearly 800,000 medical consultations, treated more than 100,000 injury cases, and provided hundreds of millions of liters of water to residents across the besieged enclave.
The Israeli decision comes as its military continues to violate a fragile ceasefire through ongoing airstrikes and artillery shelling. The already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza is made worse for civilians by widespread destruction, severe supply shortages, and harsh winter weather.
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