MSF suspends some Gaza hospital work over presence of gunmen, suspected weapons transfers, group says
February 14 (Reuters) – Médecins Sans Frontieres (Medecins Sans Frontieres) has halted “non-critical” medical operations at a major hospital in southern Gaza following reports from patients and its own staff of armed men at the facility and concerns about the movement of weapons there.
MSF’s statement marks the first time an international humanitarian group in Gaza has publicly reported the presence of armed men in a hospital or that such a facility could be used to transport weapons.
The Geneva-based medical charity said non-essential operations at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis were suspended on January 20 due to concerns about “the management of the structure, maintaining its neutrality and security breaches”.
MSF said that in recent months patients and staff had “seen armed men, some wearing masks”, on the hospital campus.
The Hamas-run Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement that they were determined to prevent any armed presence in hospitals and that legal action would be taken against those who violated it. The report claimed that armed members of some Gaza families had recently entered hospitals, but the identities of those involved were not specified.
‘UNACCEPTABLE ACTIONS’, INCLUDING GUN ACTIVITIES, WERE REPORTED
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October as part of a US plan to end the war in Gaza. Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations.
Since the ceasefire, “MSF teams have reported a number of unacceptable actions, including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary detention of patients and, more recently, suspicion of the movement of weapons,” he said.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers in the region since the ceasefire began, while Palestinian militants killed four Israeli soldiers in the same period.
MSF, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, announced the suspension of Nasser Hospital in the “frequently asked questions” section of its website about its work in Gaza, last updated on 11 February.
MSF said armed men had been seen in areas of the hospital campus where MSF did not operate, but their presence and suspicious arms transfers posed serious security risks to patients and staff.
An MSF representative told Reuters that the organization continues to support some critical services at Nasser Hospital, including inpatient and surgical care for some patients requiring life-saving treatment.
‘HOSPITALS HAVE TO STAY IN NEUTRAL AREAS’
MSF said it had forwarded its concerns to the relevant authorities, without specifying to whom the reports were submitted.
“To ensure the safe and impartial provision of medical care, hospitals should remain in neutral, civilian areas, free from military presence or activity,” MSF said. he said.
Last month, Israel ordered MSF and 30 other international organizations to halt their work in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank if they did not comply with the new rules, including the sharing of personnel information.
MSF announced on January 30 that it would not submit a personnel list to Israel because it could not receive assurances about their safety.
PARTS OF THE TUNNEL NETWORK WERE FOUND UNDER THE HOSPITAL
The Israeli military said it targeted hospitals during the war because Hamas fighters operate in hospitals and part of Hamas’ tunnel network is located beneath medical facilities. The Palestinian Islamist group denies the hospitals are used for military purposes.
Some Israeli hostages taken during the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war, said they were being held at Nasser Hospital, the largest in southern Gaza.
Hospitals are protected areas under international law. Both attacking hospitals and using them for military purposes are generally considered “violations of the law.”
Although medical facilities can lose their protected status under certain circumstances, human rights groups say that in most cases Israel has not produced enough evidence to justify its attacks on them during wartime.
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
