The Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders has expressed concerns about the unfolding situation at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, calling on Israeli occupation forces to make sure civilians and medical staff trapped inside are unharmed.
In a social media post, the charity group, which provides humanitarian medical care to people in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases, expressed grave concern about the ongoing events at the hospital.
“We are very worried about the situation unfolding at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza,” MSF wrote.
“MSF calls on Israeli forces to ensure that all medical staff, patients, and displaced people are unharmed,” it added.
🚨We are very worried about the situation unfolding at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, #Gaza. We call on Israeli Forces to ensure that all medical staff, patients and displaced people are unharmed.
— MSF International (@MSF) February 13, 2024
It also said the Israeli occupation forces ordered hundreds inside sheltering at the Nasser hospital to empty the premises by dropping pamphlets ordering them to flee.
“Today, Israeli forces ordered all displaced people sheltering inside Nasser hospital, the largest in southern Gaza, to evacuate the facility,” it wrote.
“Medical staff and patients were told that they may remain in the hospital with a limit of one caretaker per patient.”
Today, Israeli Forces ordered all displaced people sheltering inside Nasser hospital, the largest in southern Gaza, to evacuate the facility. Medical staff and patients were told that they may remain in the hospital with a limit of one caretaker per patient.
— MSF International (@MSF) February 13, 2024
The MSF accused the Israeli forces of ordering sheltering individuals to leave the hospital, while it sniped innocent people to death, who followed the orders and left the shelter.
“People are afraid to leave the hospital because they hear reports of people being shot at. Those who wish to leave must be granted safe passage out,” it explained.
People are afraid to leave the hospital because they hear reports of people being shot at. Those who wish to leave must be granted safe passage out.
— MSF International (@MSF) February 13, 2024
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the Israeli army continues to open fire on those who try to leave the hospital.
Being the largest healthcare facility in war-torn Gaza, the Nasser Hospital has been enduring a prolonged period of siege, and is currently witnessing a surge in activity, as snipers within the hospital compound have tragically taken the lives of several individuals.
Three people sheltering inside the health center were shot dead by snipers with another seven wounded after Israeli forces dropped pamphlets ordering hundreds inside to flee, on Wednesday.
“Three people have been martyred and 10 others injured inside the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis […] by bullets of the Israeli snipers since yesterday evening,” said Ashraf al-Qudra, the Health Ministry spokesman, in a statement.
The helpless Gazans who are desperate to leave the Gaza Strip, have traveled to the south Rafah border in search of a safe haven. Since January, Khan Younis has been experiencing massive Israeli ground invasion.
The UN rights chief Volker Turk has warned that ground invasion of Rafah risks further atrocious crimes.
