GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders warned on Monday that Israel’s decision to halt the organization’s activities in the Gaza Strip could have catastrophic consequences for civilians, as humanitarian needs continue to surge following the genocide.
MSF secretary general Christopher Lockyear said Israeli authorities informed the organization on Sunday that it must cease operations in Gaza and leave the territory by February 28, after MSF refused to hand over lists containing the names of its Palestinian staff.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Lockyear said Palestinians are at a moment when they desperately need more humanitarian assistance, not less. He warned that shutting down MSF’s work would have devastating repercussions not only in Gaza but also in the occupied West Bank.
Lockyear said MSF provided more than 800,000 medical consultations in Gaza during 2025 alone, treated over 100,000 injuries, and supplied more than 700 million liters of water.
He added that the organization has been unable to bring any medical supplies into Gaza since receiving a 60-day warning from Israeli authorities in December 2025.
He urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel to lift restrictions imposed on humanitarian organizations and allow aid to reach civilians without obstruction.
Israeli occupation authorities have recently tightened restrictions on humanitarian operations across the occupied Palestinian territories, announcing earlier this year plans to ban the activities of 37 international humanitarian organizations in Gaza starting in March, citing their refusal to provide lists of Palestinian employees.
Since March 2025, Palestinian staff working for international organizations have been subjected to severe restrictions under Israeli directives.
MSF reaffirmed its refusal to disclose staff names, citing the absence of concrete guarantees to ensure the safety of its teams, protect personal data, and preserve the independence of its medical work.
The organization said Israel’s decision effectively forces humanitarian groups into an impossible choice between endangering their staff or halting life-saving medical care for those most in need.
MSF said at least 1,700 health workers in Gaza have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023, including 15 of its own staff members.
